August 1, 2026
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Public health units across the region, including Grey Bruce Public Health, are concerned about the growing number of households struggling to afford basic needs, including food.
A joint press release, issued Monday, states that in 2024, one-in-four households in southwestern Ontario experienced household food insecurity, meaning they did not have reliable access to enough food due to financial challenges (Public Health Ontario, 2025).
Rising housing and living costs are forcing many individuals and families to make difficult choices between paying rent and buying groceries.
Household food insecurity is linked to poorer physical and mental health, higher risk of chronic disease, and increased pressure on the health-care system. Among children and youth, it impacts concentration, memory, mood, and motor skills, making it harder to succeed in school.
Many households are relying on emergency food programs or facing impossible trade-offs, such as skipping meals. While many low and modest-income households face challenges after covering housing and other essential costs, individuals on social assistance programs, such as Ontario Works, often cannot afford both rent and food, even with careful spending.
“In Grey-Bruce and beyond, some households are forced to choose between food costs and meeting their other basic needs," says Dr. Brittany Graham, acting medical officer of health at Grey Bruce Public Health. "This can negatively impact health. Income-based solutions that address household food insecurity also support health and well-being.”
“Food insecurity impacts people at every stage of life in Huron Perth," says Dr. Miriam Klassen, medical officer of health, Huron Perth Public Health. "Local trends show that affordability is becoming more of a challenge, leaving many households struggling to keep up. Long-term solutions will require a focus on income and financial stability.”
Ontario public health units monitor food affordability by comparing the costs of food and rent to various household income scenarios. In 2024, these scenarios show that a single adult receiving Ontario Works in the southwestern Ontario region cannot afford both food and rent, facing a monthly deficit ranging from $301 to $859, depending on location (Chatham-Kent Public Health, 2024; Grey Bruce Public Health, 2024; Huron Perth Public Health, 2024; Lambton Public Health, 2024; Middlesex-London Health Unit, 2024; Southwestern Public Health, 2025; Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, 2024).
Many other households with low and modest incomes face similar challenges, with little or no income remaining after covering rent and other essential expenses, such as transportation, utilities, child care, clothing, and medications.
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE
Public health units across southwestern Ontario support solutions which acknowledge that the root cause of household food insecurity is inadequate income by proposing the following measures:
Increasing social assistance rates, including Ontario Works
Improving income supports for low- and modest-income households
Implementing policies that reduce the cost of housing and essential living expenses
In June 2026, the Association of Local Public Health Agencies passed a resolution recommending that the Ontario government enhance the Ontario Works (OW) Benefit, for example, by aligning the OW earned income exemption with the higher earned income exemption for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP).
Household food insecurity is a serious, but preventable, public health issue. Addressing it requires co-ordinated action at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Everyone has a role to play in addressing household food insecurity:
Learn more about how income impacts access to food through Ontario Dietitians in Public Health’s Call to Action on Household Food Insecurity (2026)
Engage local elected officials in discussions around income-based solutions
Support community organizations (e.g. volunteering, donations), while recognizing that food programs alone cannot solve this issue
For more information, contact your local public health unit or visit their website:
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