Food Insecurity Statistics in Canada

Food insecurity is a rising problem in many countries across the globe, including Canada. The term refers to insecure or inadequate access to food because of financial constraints. It is a marker of material deprivation and a public health problem.

In this article, we focus on food insecurity in Canada including the impact of income on food insecurity, the health implications of food insecurity, and what can be done to improve the situation in Canada.

Food Insecurity Statistics for Canadians

• Around 10 million Canadians living in the ten provinces live in households facing some level of food insecurity.
• Nunavut has the largest proportion of households living with food insecurity, with almost 50% of households facing moderate or severe food insecurity.
• While 6.1 million people in the provinces face food insecurities, only 1.2 million of them use food banks.
• Over 60% of households relying on social assistance face food insecurities.
• Over half of all the food-insecure households in Canada are working households.
• Households living in rented accommodation are more likely to be food insecure.
• One in three children living in the provinces lives in food-insecure households.
• Over 30% of Indigenous households are living in food insecurity.

Three Categories of Food Insecurity

If a household in Canada is not food secure, it can fall into one of the three food insecurity categories, which are marginal, moderate, and severe. A household with marginal food insecurity worries about running out of food. They may only have access to a limited selection of food because they lack the money to spend on food.

Households in the moderate category often compromise the quantity or quality of food because of financial restraints. If a household is affected by severe food insecurity, they will reduce their food intake and miss meals. Some extremely food-insecure households can go days without proper meals.

Food Insecurity Affects Over 8 Million Canadians Living in The Provinces

In 2024, an estimated 25.5 % of people in Canada’s ten provinces lived in a food‑insecure household, which amounts to about 10 million Canadians, including roughly 2.5 million children who struggled to afford enough food. This marked a record high level of food insecurity in Canada, rising from the previous figures of 22.9 % in 2023.

These statistics do not fully capture the scope of food insecurity across the entire country, as they do not include people living in the territories, on First Nation reserves, and those experiencing homelessness — groups that are widely recognised as being at particularly high risk for food insecurity.

Data from Statistics Canada shows this trend has continued upwards into 2025, with food insecurity affecting about 25 % of households, and notable increases in both moderate and severe food insecurity categories compared to earlier years.

Food Insecurity Across The Provinces

Out of the ten provinces, Alberta with 20.3% has the highest rate of households facing food insecurity. It is followed by New Brunswick with 19% and Saskatchewan with 18.8%. The provinces with the lowest food insecurity were Quebec with 13.1% and British Columbia with 14.9%.

Households in Alberta are also the most likely to be affected by severe food insecurity with 6.3% of the households falling into this category. New Brunswick is almost equally high with 5.9% of households in the severe category. The percentages of households facing severe food insecurity were the lowest in Quebec at 2.8% and British Columbia at 3.2%.

Nunavut and the Territories Have the Highest Rates of Food Insecurity in Canada

Recent data shows that food insecurity remains particularly severe in Canada’s northern territories. According to Statistics Canada’s 2023 Canadian Income Survey, 58.1 % of people in Nunavut lived in a food‑insecure household, the highest rate in the country. In comparison, 34.2 % of people in the Northwest Territories and 21.8 % in Yukon were estimated to be living with some level of food insecurity. 

These territorial figures significantly exceed the national provincial average of 25.5 % living in food‑insecure households. Northern communities face unique challenges that contribute to these high rates, including extremely high food costs, limited employment opportunities, isolation, and socioeconomic inequities that disproportionately affect Indigenous populations. 

It’s important to note that even the most recent data may still underestimate the true extent of food insecurity in the North, because some surveys do not fully capture remote communities and individuals without stable housing.

Food Insecurity Compared to the Use of Food Banks in Canada

While the number of people using food banks in Canada has sometimes been used to measure the level of food insecurity in Canada, it does not give us a very accurate picture. While approximately 1,2 million people in Canada use food banks, 5.8 million people are living in food-insecure households in the provinces alone.

However, what we can learn from these figures is that food banks are often the last option for Canadians living in food insecurity.

Income And Food Insecurity

It is hardly surprising that food insecurity in Canada is closely linked to household income. Households with the lowest income bracket have the highest risk of facing severe food insecurity. Households that earn less than $20,000 after tax represent almost 40% of all households facing moderate or severe food insecurity.

When a household earns between $20,000 and $30,000, the percentage of severely food-insecure households drops down to 12.5% and moderate households to 15%. Interestingly, according to the data published on Proof, the percentage of households facing severe food insecurity is lowest when a household earns between $70,000 and $80,000 after tax and goes slightly up again for households earning $80,000 to $90,000.

People Who Rely on Income Support Are More Likely to Face Food Insecurities

People whose main income comes from provincial disability and welfare programs are the most likely to face food insecurity. 64.1% of households relying on social assistance are affected by some level of food insecurity. Almost half of these households face severe food insecurity.

The households that are the least likely to be affected by food insecurity are those with a regular salary either from employment or self-employment at 13.7% and people on private retirement pensions at 3.9%. The percentage of households living on public pensions was relatively low at 14.5%.

Food Insecurity is a Serious Problem For Many Working Canadians

According to the most recent detailed distribution from the 2022 Canadian Income Survey, the main source of income for about 60.2% of food‑insecure households was wages, salaries or self‑employment, showing that many working Canadians continue to experience food insecurity. Around 7.1% of food‑insecure households relied primarily on social assistance, and 4.5% relied on employment insurance. 10.7% of food‑insecure households reported private pensions as their main income source, while roughly 10.5% received income from public pensions.

People Who Rent Are More Likely to be Food Insecure

In Canada, people who are renting are more likely to face food insecurities than those who own their homes either outright or with a mortgage. 25.9% of the households renting their home faced some level of food insecurity in 2021. In the same year, 7.2% of homeowners without a mortgage and 13.9% of homeowners with a mortgage were food insecure.

One in Three Children Live in Food‑Insecure Households

In 2024, about 2.5 million children in Canada’s ten provinces — roughly 33 % of children under age 18 — lived in food‑insecure households, a significant increase from previous years and a record high in recent surveys. This figure does not include children living in the territories or on First Nation reserves, where food insecurity is even more widespread.

Households with a lone female parent remain among the most vulnerable. In 2024, over 52 % of people in female lone‑parent families lived in food‑insecure households, reflecting persistent disparities in access to adequate food.

More Than Three in Ten Indigenous Households Live in Food-Insecure Households

There are racial disparities in food security in Canada. Canadians identifying as white are less likely to live in food-insecure households compared to people from any other ethnic group. The most likely people to live in a food-insecure household are Indigenous People at 30.7%. However, this percentage could be even higher because there is a lack of data for people living in First Nations reserves or in various remote communities in Northern Canada.

How Does Food Insecurity Affect Health And Healthcare?

People living in food-insecure households are more likely to have health issues arising from poor diet or inadequate quantities of food. Lack of food leads to an increased vulnerability to infectious diseases, injuries, and poor oral health. Lack of food is also linked to chronic conditions such as anxiety, depression, heart disease, and chronic pain. Adults in food-insecure households also have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes.

Since food insecurity is directly linked to income, many Canadians living in food poverty also have trouble affording their prescribed medications. Almost half of those living in households facing severe food insecurity say that they have reduced, delayed, or skipped their prescribed medication because they couldn’t afford it.

What is the Healthcare Cost of Food Insecurity in Canada?

Since people living in food-insecure households are more likely to have health problems, it is not surprising that the health costs incurred rise alongside the severity of food insecurity. Based on a study conducted by Proof in Ontario, the healthcare costs incurred by adults living in severe food poverty were $3,930 in twelve months.

During the same period, the costs incurred by adults living in moderate food insecurity were $2,806, marginal $2,161, and $1,605 for adults living in food-secure households.

What Can Be Done About Food Insecurity in Canada?

Household food insecurity in Canada could be reduced by policy interventions designed to improve the financial situations of households on the lowest end of the income spectrum. Policies, for example, child benefits, minimum wage, and social assistance have an impact on food security as they improve the financial circumstances of a household. For example, an increase of $1,000 in annual welfare can lower the risk of food insecurity by 5%.

However, many public policies do not adequately address the needs of low-income earners in Canada. More also needs to be done to address food insecurity in the most affected areas of the country and among Indigenous People.

While food banks provide support to households facing food insecurity in Canada, not many households are using them. For some, this could be because of their inaccessibility or because they are seen as the last resource. Neither do food banks address the underlying issues and causes of food insecurity in Canada.

Summary

Food insecurity in Canada is closely linked to household income after tax with people on lower incomes more likely to face food insecurity. The percentage of food-insecure households is the highest in the territories, with Nunavut having the most severe problem. Quebec has the lowest percentage of food-insecure households in Canada.

Around 10 million Canadians are living in food-insecure households, however the real number is likely far greater. People identifying as white are the least likely to face food insecurities while over 30% of Indigenous People live in food-insecure households.