For Immediate Release
20 September, 2023
NDP MHA Lela Evans (Torngat Mountains) is calling on government to address the skyrocketing cost of food on the North Coast of Labrador. The call comes following an update to the NL Nutritious Food Basket (NLNFB) which is provincial survey used to monitor the cost of healthy eating in the province. The 2022 survey found that since 2021, the cost of food last year on the North Coast of Labrador increased by over 18.5% to an average food cost of $467/week. The provincial average increased by 12% to an average weekly cost of $309/week. The current costs are higher due to continued increased inflation.
“Not only do we have the highest food costs but our prices are increasing at a much faster rate, placing food out of reach of many families. These numbers show the truth about food insecurity in my district, and we have to remember we’re looking at last year’s costs – in 2023 food costs have increased again, making hungry and malnutrition a brutal reality,” said Evans. “Government knows people on the North Coast of Labrador face the highest grocery prices in the province, yet they’ve taken no concrete action to improve the lives of people in my district by making life more affordable. Their policies have contributed to food insecurity and marginalization of my people. There is corrective action they can take right now like re-instating the freight boat from the Island. Their refusal shows that the well-being of Inuit and Innu people isn’t a priority for this government,” said Evans.
Evans says that the increased cost of food in her district combined with increased costs of home heating oil, families are stretched beyond their means and having to choose between feeding their families and heating their homes.
“Not having accessible and affordable healthy food means people in my district face strained mental wellness because they face additional worries. They worry that they will be cold this winter unable to afford heat, and they worry their children will be taken from them because they can’t afford to provide the basics of life for their families,” said Evans.
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca