Reading 5 - How do you save four million Canadians from hunger?

Food insecurity in Canada is not about food availability, it’s about —

income

Hunger persists in a wealthy country, such as Canada, because —

social and economic systems fail to ensure people can afford food

While charity-based responses (food banks) manage hunger, they do not —

Why?

Solve hunger

1. They provide short-term relief

2. Don’t reduce food insecurity rates

Why is food often the first thing people reduce when they do not have enough money to pay for everything they need?

Food purchases is often the only flexible item among people's expenses, for example rent of house stays the same

Which subsets of the Canadian population have a greater likelihood of being food insecure than others?

1. Recent immigrants

2. People of colour

3. University students

4. Single mothers

5. Children

What do you think needs to be done to reduce the prevalence of food insecurity in Canada?

1. Affordable housing

2. Increase income

3. Lower food prices

4. Increase support from government/schools/community

Food Deserts vs. Food Mirages — what’s the difference?

• Food deserts are areas with limited physical access to grocery stores

• Food mirages are food/grocery stores nearby and visible, but too expensive to afford