Food insecurity continues to be an issue in Chatham-Kent.
The local public health unit reports that 20 per cent of households still didn't have enough money to buy food in 2023, the same as the previous year.
However, the cost to feed a family of four has gone up from $1,050 a month in 2022 to $1,106 in 2023. That's roughly 40 per cent of their income, according to CK Public Health, and up from 38 per cent in 2022.
The public health unit said a family of four on Ontario Works often can't afford to pay for other expenses and necessities after paying for rent.
Chatham-Kent's Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai told Mornings with Dave and Cheryl on Country 92.9FM CFCO the situation is shocking.
"There are about 3,000 children in Chatham-Kent who are food insecure. So, it's a pretty striking thing. The other thing I think is worth remembering is many of the people who are food insecure are working, both people in the household are working and they still don't have sufficient resources to eat properly," said Nesathurai. "For many people, it's a choice or the difficulty of paying for all of the other expenses, plus paying for food. And the fact that we have so many people in the health district who are experiencing food insecurity is problematic. I think it's something we really have to think about and how we're going to address it."
CK Public Health officials said community members must make difficult choices when deciding between paying their bills or buying food.
“In Chatham-Kent, people living with food insecurity must choose between paying for housing or paying for food. The increasing cost of food is making this issue worse,” said Councillor and Chair of the Chatham-Kent Food Policy Council Carmen McGregor, who also sits on the CK Board of Health. “It is important to realize though, that food prices are not the root cause of food insecurity for the CK community. It is a lack of adequate and secure income.”
Local public health officials continue to call on upper levels of government to increase income support and social assistance programs, adding that an income-based response can work to effectively resolve food insecurity and improve health.
CK Public Health noted food banks provide emergency food support to the community, but emphasized it's only a temporary solution and it does not address the true cause of food insecurity.
They pointed out that not having enough money to pay for food has negative impacts on physical and mental health as it significantly increases the risk of issues such as diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, and depression.
"If you have diabetes or heart disease, you gotta eat properly to stay healthy. And at one level as a doctor, what's the use of fixing somebody up after a heart attack if you're not doing everything to make sure that they don't come back to the hospital when they're desperately ill. So, to that extent I think it's something we have to consider moving forward," said Dr. Nesathurai. “Food insecurity is a complex issue that affects many households in Chatham-Kent. We need to come together to raise awareness and advocate for healthy public policies.”
Click here for more information about food insecurity and what you can do to help in Chatham-Kent.