Nearly a Quarter of Canadian Parents Cut Back on Meals so Kids Can Eat: Report

A customer shops at a grocery store in Toronto on May 30, 2024. The Canadian Press/Chris Young

One in four parents report eating less so their children can have food, according to a report from The Salvation Army.

The report, 2024 Canadian Poverty and Socioeconomic Analysis, looks at Canadian’s behaviours and attitudes on issues such as housing, food, health care, and affordability from year to year.

In 2024, it found that Canadian parents are shouldering most of the burden of rising costs when it comes to food and housing.

Twenty-four percent of parents reported eating less so their children will have enough food, with 84 percent saying they skip meals because they cannot afford groceries. That’s compared to 22 percent of total survey respondents who say they miss meals to save money.

The report also found that 90 percent of parents have cut back on their food bills so they can cover other expenses. That is more than double the number in the general population, where 39 percent said they spend less at the grocery store to have money for other expenses.

Meanwhile, 86 percent of parents are buying less nutritious food because it costs less, compared with 36 percent of respondents in the general population.

Missing bill payments due to lack of money was reported by 22 percent of parents, while 37 percent have lost an essential service because of missed payments.

The report authors said 58 percent of Canadian parents struggle with food costs, 23 percent are concerned about housing, and 59 percent face health-care issues.

Canadians Concerns

The Salvation Army said Canadians are less troubled by inflation compared to last year, but concerns about health care have increased.

The top concerns reported by Canadians are health care (59 percent, up from 51 percent in 2023) and housing insecurity (44 percent, up from 35 percent).

Concerns over inflation have dropped from 47 percent to 36 percent, the report said.

Worries over the price of food have also fallen from 39 percent in 2023 to 33 percent this year.

In 2023, 19 percent of survey participants said they were concerned about crime and violence. This year that number jumped to 25 percent.

Canadians are also less worried about their personal finances (27 percent) than they were last year (31 percent) or in 2022 when 33 percent said they had a negative view of their finances.

Twenty-three percent reported being “extremely concerned” about having enough money to cover basic needs. That number is down from 25 percent in 2023.

However, the number of Canadians turning to food banks for help has gone up, with 58 percent saying they visited a food bank for the first time in 2024. Fifty-four percent said they use it one to three times per month with 16 percent saying they visit a food bank at least once a week.

“We know that Canadians are still feeling the pressure, especially when it comes to their basic needs,” John Murray, a communications representative for The Salvation Army, said in a Nov. 7 press release.

“Our role is to ensure that those who are struggling have access to the services and support they need,” Murray said.