Rising food costs push people to food banks, says social justice advocate

Thecost of food is expected to rise in the new year and that's going to push more people towardusing food banks saidChantal Landry, provincial secretary of theCommon Front for Social Justice.

Landry, speaking to Information Morning Moncton, saysthe 2016 food price report from theUniversity of Guelphpredictsprice increases of betweentwo andfour per cent, above the general rate of inflation.

Landrysaysthat will amount to an extra $345 per year in food costs and that'sbad news for people on low or fixed incomes in New Brunswick.

It creates more stress.- Chantal Landry, Common Front for Social Justice

"If you think about it, more money to go towards food, that means there's going to be more people at a food bank, which should be an emergency but now it seems to be a staple."

The report says prices will increase principallyfor meat, fruit,nuts, and vegetables, which Landrypointed out are not luxury items, but necessities for good health.

"This affects peoples' health, it affects peoples' mental health, it creates more stress," she said.

Landry says one solution isan increase in the minimum wage. She says people who make minimum wage are struggling, becauseit is difficult to survive on $10.30 per hour.

"It's great that it increased in 2014, that's fantastic, but that's the only increase we're going to see between now and 2017, when [the cost of] everything else is going to be increasing,"Landry said.