A new study conducted by Professor Notten and collaborators Liu, and Tarasuk reveals a troubling reality: the disadvantage of households highly exposed to food insecurity has not budged since 2005, despite years of public policies put forward in the name of fighting poverty.
Research that highlights striking disparities
By analyzing Canada-wide data from 2005 to 2018, the researchers show that:
• Single parents remain by far the most vulnerable group, with food insecurity rates up to 27 percentage points higher than couples without children.
• Single people follow closely behind, having also consistently high levels of food insecurity.
• Households that depend primarily on government transfers also remain at a significant disadvantage.
When rising living costs wipe out gains
The authors put forward a convincing hypothesis to explain why none of these gaps have narrowed over time: Despite improvements in some social programs, soaring food and housing costs appear to have offset these gains. In other words, even when incomes rise, the cost of groceries and other essentials continue to increase faster.
The special case of Quebec
One important exception stands out:
Single parents in Quebec are at a significantly lower disadvantage than those in other provinces.
The authors explain that Quebec’s more generous, family-focused social safety net is very likely to play a key role in alleviating food insecurity.
Why this study matters
This research sends a clear message:
If we want to be sure that we reduce poverty, we must also track progress measuring real household deprivations such as food insecurity.
Social safety nets matter. A lot. They include income supports and measures that reduce the need for out-of-pocket spending by households. Together, they must keep pace with the cost of living.
A call to policymakers
The findings invite us to rethink our strategies:
• Strengthen programs that work (as in Quebec).
• (Re)develop programs such that they also enable highly vulnerable households.
• Measure poverty not only in dollars, but in real access to a dignified life—including access to food.