Board of health passes motion asking higher levels of government to increase social assistance to allow more people to afford food
The Sudbury Board of Health has passed a motion calling on the Ontario and federal governments to take steps to make social assistance allowances higher so that life is more affordable for people who have difficulty buying food.
The motion followed a presentation to the Public Health Sudbury and Districts board on Thursday on the need to protect Sudbury workers from the food insecurity crisis being made worse by U.S. tariffs.
The preamble in the motion said local food affordability data showed that social assistance rates are not enough to cover the costs of living; and that in order to make food affordable, social assistance incomes need to be improved.
The presentation was made by public health nutritionist Bridget King, who said the issue requires public health attention because not having enough food impacts mental, physical and social health.
Experiencing food insecurity has a variety of developmental risks, said King. Adults experiencing food insecurity experience multiple chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and higher mortality rates, she said.
King said that despite common assumptions, wages, salaries and self-employment are no guarantee of affordability for a continued supply of good, healthy food. She said more than 60 per cent of food insecure households in Ontario are supported by wages and salaries that are not sufficient to purchase food.
She said food insecurity is a reality within the service area of Public Health Sudbury and District based on local data collected from 2019 to 2021 and from 2022 to 2024.
She said the health unit draws up regular scenarios to demonstrate that many families are struggling to survive.
In one scenario, a family of four — two adults and two school-aged children — are struggling with an Ontario Works monthly income of $3,017.
The family would have to spend $1,287 per month for the Ontario Nutritious Food Basket (OFNB) and roughly $1,840 per month for rent.
“A family on Ontario Works is not just struggling to eat. They’re unable to meet even the most basic human necessities,” said King.
Another scenario described a single person struggling to find work on a social allowance of $907, which King said provides no money for transportation, no money for a cell phone and barely enough money for rent.
King said people in such situations are terrified of losing their shelter, are worried about not being able to connect with job interviews and will skip meals in an effort to find employment.
To make things worse, said King, the Ontario government claws back 50-cents on every dollar earned after a $200 monthly exemption for the Ontario Works allowance.
“When people can’t afford to eat, they get sick more often, stay sick longer and require more intensive care,” said King.
“This takes a major toll on our health care system, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Addressing food insecurity before it happens, ensuring adequate income support and access to basic needs can lead to significant savings for our public health care centre,” said King.
Len Gillis covers health care and mining for Sudbury.com.
