Pricey groceries, low wages and a new battleground for public-health officials

Public-health officials overseeing a pair of Southwestern Ontario communities say they plan to take action and address growing concerns over food insecurity in local households.

Article content

Board members for Southwestern Public Health, which serves Elgin and Oxford counties, have accepted a report that recommends five steps, including certification as a living wage employer, endorsing other income-based policy solutions and pushing the provincial and federal government to act to help alleviate food insecurity.

Article content

“It was a firm acceptance and acknowledgment of the situation that real people are experiencing (food shortages) in our communities today, and that there are steps that can be taken to mitigate food insecurity,” Bernia Martin, a Woodstock city politician and newly elected board chair, said post-meeting.

In a report to the board, Southwestern Public Health director Peter Heywood described “household food insecurity” as a home that “lacks consistent access to an adequate supply of nutritious food due to financial constraints.

Article content

One in five households in Oxford and Elgin counties and St. Thomas experienced food insecurity in 2021-22, officials said, citing local data.

The report is pushing to endorse income-based solutions to reduce the number of households facing food shortages. But it’s not just households in Southwestern Public Health’s territory coping with food insecurity.

One in six households in London and surrounding Middlesex County that included family members with paid employment struggling to put food on the table in 2022, according to a report from Dr. Alex Summers of the Middlesex-London Health Unit.

Article content

Both health units point out food insecurity can have negative health effects including infections, depression and anxiety, which can place a burden on the health care system. According to Heywood’s report, although food banks provide temporary relief for households facing food scarcity, they don’t address root causes.

“Estimates suggest that less than 25 per cent of individuals experiencing food insecurity access food charities, and for those who do, food insecurity does not go away,” the report said.

And even food banks are stretched thin.

Glen Pearson, co-director of the London Food Bank, recently warned of a potential collapse in the food bank network in the province as requested outstrips donations.

Article content

The issue also was highlighted recently by another organization calling for action to curb food insecurity.

Two weeks ago, United Way Elgin Middlesex launched a month-long campaign to get the provincial government to double social assistance rates.

The organization called social assistance rates “not just inadequate” but “unlivable,” and wants to draw attention to the issue, and motivate governments to take action.

In agreement with the United Way, the Middlesex-London Health Unit’s report also noted the shortcomings of social assistance, recognizing the need for social assistance rates based on living costs.

“I think it’s important to demonstrate that when we talk about the importance of public health in our community, food security is at the root of public health. So, I think it was very important for our board to take that step today,” Martin said.

[email protected]

@BrianWatLFPress

The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada

Article content