Food Insecurity in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties

What is the problem? 

Everyone in our community should have access to safe, affordable and nutritious food that is right for them and their family. Unfortunately, 1 in 6 households in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties are food insecure¹ , so they do not have enough money to buy food.

Food insecurity ranges from worrying about having enough money to buy food to physically missing meals.²   Being food insecure is associated with an increased risk of several health issues³, including:   

What can be done?

Household food insecurity is a problem rooted in inadequate incomes. Research has shown that policy changes that support stable incomes that meet the cost of living can make a difference⁴. Examples include:  

• Social assistance rates that reflect the true cost of living 
• Supporting employers that pay a Livable Wage and benefits 

Vote for issues that matter to you — your voice matters.

Nutritious Food Basket – Measuring Local Food Affordability 

Every year health units across Ontario use the Ontario Nutritious Food Basket costing tool to determine the cost of healthy eating for their region. 

In May 2024, the average monthly cost of a healthy diet for a family of four in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties was $1182.31

Food banks and other emergency food resources 

Click here for a list of emergency and low-cost food programs in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties. 

Want to learn more? 

• ODPH: Monitoring Food Affordability
• PROOF: The Impact of Food Insecurity on Health 
• PROOF: Household Food Insecurity in Canada, 2022  
• ODPH Position Statement on Responses to Food Insecurity 
• Feed Ontario Hunger Report 2024 

References 

1. Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey. Custom table C1143221. Canadian Income Surveys (CIS) 2021, 2022. Available from: Household Food Insecurity Snapshot | Public Health Ontario. Available from: Household Food Insecurity Snapshot | Public Health Ontario.  

2. Government of Canada. (2020). Determining Food Security Status. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-nutrition-surveillance/health-nutrition-surveys/canadian-community-health-survey-cchs/household-food-insecurity-canada-overview/determining-food-security-status-food-nutrition-surveillance-health-canada.html 

3. Vozoris, N.T. & Tarasuk, V.S. (2003). Household food insufficiency is associated with poorer health. J Nutr, 133(1), 120-126.  

4. Loopstra, R. (2018). Interventions to address household food insecurity in high-income countries. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 77(3), 270-281.