Just The Facts: Canadians Keep Paying More
Ottawa, ON – Since the last election, Carney’s made-in-Canada taxes have given Canada the highest food inflation in the G7, as grocery prices continue to rise. This was confirmed again by Statistics Canada’s latest retail prices report, which found that the cost of common staples has continued to skyrocket.
Since Carney became Prime Minister, the price of whole chicken has soared 37 per cent, while the cost of beef top sirloin cuts jumped 32 per cent and pork shoulder has risen 19 per cent, year-over-year. Even the produce section can’t avoid rising costs as cucumber spiked 26 per cent, celery has leapt 23 per cent and tomatoes are up 20 per cent, year-over-year.
As prices continue to rise, it’s no surprise that the latest Canadian Food Sentiment Report found that 81.1 per cent of respondents say their food expenses have increased the most over the last year, with 56.7 per cent reporting a significant increase.
More worrying, it found 34 per cent of Canadians are using their life savings or borrowing money just to afford food. That comes as 24 per cent of Canadians now live in households reporting food insecurity, including over 30 per cent of children and single, non-senior Canadians.
It’s not just prices at the grocery store that Canadians are struggling with. Restaurants Canada reports 36 per cent of restaurants are operating at a loss or only breaking even, triple the number struggling in 2019.
With the highest food inflation in the G7, Canadians are continuing to pay for a made-in-Canada problem. Only Conservatives will eliminate the fuel standard and industrial carbon tax, scrap the food packaging tax and end inflationary spending so families can afford to put more nutritious food on the table.