COLE HARBOR, NS –
Erin Cameron was shocked when she added the cost of food to feed her family of six.
“$ 952.57 in the last 30 days,” she said, picking up the calculator.
That’s twice as much as she usually spent at that time last year.
“This does not include our daily toilet paper, paper towels, detergent,” she added. She says it also does not include pet food for their dog and three cats.
With four growing children, Cameron has always been aware of the household budget, but her shopping strategy has changed in recent months.
“I used to go to all the stores and shop from the sales, but with the price of gasoline it got a little harder, so now I’m trying to keep it in two or three stores,” she said.
In addition to shopping sales, Cameron says the family also eats less and makes different food choices.
“We switched to a lot of vegetable protein because the price of chickpeas and black beans is much lower than animal protein,” explains Cameron.
Food policy expert Sylvain Charlebois has bad news for families like Cameron’s.
“I hate to say this, but the worst is yet to come,” said Charlebois, director of the Agricultural Food Analysis Laboratory at Dalhousie University.
Charleboi says the grain shortage caused by the war in Ukraine, along with ongoing problems in the pandemic supply chain, set off a cycle of rising food prices in February.
Add the dry conditions of agriculture in the west, and he expects more price increases probably this fall.
Charlebois also predicts a new rise in the price of milk next week.
“In fact, we haven’t come out of the woods yet, so I think it’s important for families to review their budget and see exactly what needs to be calibrated,” he said.
The increase in food costs is something that the head of the food bank at Beacon House in Lower Sackville, NS expects.
Rod Rowlands worked in the food industry and saw the proverbial inscriptions on the wall.
His organization stocked up early on food supplies such as canned soup, canned milk, pasta and pasta sauce in order to stretch the charity’s dollars and prepare for what might be next.
“Fortunately, we haven’t had any other problems with the supply chain so far, but that’s today,” Rowlands said.
He is concerned about what autumn will bring, when seafarers have to take into account seasonal costs, such as heating the home.
“I remember seven or eight years ago it was a question of whether you ate or warmed up?” Rowland said. “And that was one of the things I think we can see again.”
At the same time, Cameron added that wages are not in line with inflation and all rising costs.
“We are currently dealing with the income we have,” she said.
Although she says she feels happy to be a double-income household, she can’t help but think of those who don’t have the resources to make ends meet.
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