Food Insecurity in Canada’s Federal Welfare State

• In Event: Welfare State Politics in Canada

Abstract

Food insecurity – the inadequate intake of food due to financial constraints – remains a serious issue in Canada. In 2022, a staggering 6.9 million Canadians, 18% of households, were food insecure. Historically marginalized groups are disproportionately affected, placing them at higher risk of inadequate nutrition and poor health outcomes. Yet a national strategy that identifies how the federal government will address food insecurity remains absent. While the Trudeau government has rapidly expanded social policies, infringing upon the constitutional responsibilities of provinces and territories to address societal inequities, it has paid limited attention to food insecurity.

Why has the federal government been reluctant to take a direct role in food security? And how have political factors shaped this decision? This paper investigates why the federal government prioritizes certain social issues over others. It carries out a comprehensive review of existing food security policies, then situates these in historical perspective, showing how federalism and policy legacies have shaped the policy trajectory in Canada. As the political science literature on food and nutrition assistance remains underdeveloped, if not entirely absent, from the study of the Canadian welfare state, this paper contributes to theory building efforts. At the same time, the empirical implications of this research are immense. Improved policy has the potential to reduce the prevalence of hunger, preventing the often long-term and life-defining health effects of food insecurity.

Author

• Carmen Jacqueline Ho, University of Guelph