Costs for groceries twice as expensive in remote First Nations
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Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority and Northwestern Health Unit press release ...
Cost of Eating in Remote First Nations Unaffordable
Every year the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) and health units across the province, calculate the cost of a basic food basket. In June 2006 in partnership with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA), data regarding the cost of eating and some staple household items were collected from three remote First Nation communities; Sachigo Lake, Sandy Lake and Wunnumin Lake. The average monthly cost of feeding a family of four in the three communities was $1382.44.
This is almost 200% more than the cost of eating in the Kenora Rainy River Districts in 2006. In 2006, a family of four on a remote First Nation would have paid about $16, 600 for food for the year. If that same family relied on social assistance they would only have brought in about $14, 400 for the year, this leaves a $2200 deficit before factoring in shelter, heating of homes, clothing and other necessities. “Because of high rates of unemployment and the reliance on the social assistance programs, many people are living way below the poverty line and in deplorable, third world conditions,” says Janet Gordon, SLFNHA Director Health Services.
The food basket is based on meeting basic nutritional needs. People in the north are being forced to compromise their nutrition by settling on less nutritional food to feed their families. This results in compromised health status, increasing the burden of preventable chronic disease like diabetes, heart disease and stroke, which already run rampant in the north. “The cost of eating in the north is unacceptable. Good food is either unaffordable or unavailable and people can’t keep up. It’s time for government to step up and support First Nations to meet their basic needs”, says Jennifer Maki, NWHU Public Health Nutritionist.
The food basket results will be used to lobby government for a reasonable living wage, to increase access to affordable food and to ultimately improve health in First Nation communities. For more information contact the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority or Northwestern Health Unit.
For more information contact:
Janet Gordon
Director, Health Services
Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority
807-737-6125
Jennifer Maki
Public Health Nutritionist
807-737-2292, ext 29
jmaki@nwhu.on.ca