The struggle to put food on the table continues for families across Simcoe Muskoka. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) did its annual Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) survey and found that food insecurity (the inability to access quality food due to financial constraints) is only worsening in the region, as it is across Ontario and Canada. For a single person to eat a nutritious diet, they would need to drop $445.92 on staples per month, while a family of four would need to spend $1,282.89, the new 2025 survey says. The survey determined how much it costs to eat a healthy diet, covering 61 different essentials like bread, milk, and eggs. Experts say even though food insecurity is affecting people who are low-income, receiving social assistance, or unemployed, it also affects those who are employed and have stable jobs. According to a public health nutritionist and registered dietician with SMDHU Vanessa Hurley, the number of households with average incomes who are having a hard time making ends meet actually doubled in 2024 from 2022 and 2023. “Having a job does not guarantee food security. In our province, more than half of households that have income from employment are food insecure,” Hurley says. The press release states that food insecurity is an urgent public health crisis that ultimately takes a toll on the health care system; people who don’t have enough money to buy quality food will buy less or lower quality which can lead to skipping meals, followed by health issues, and eventually putting strain on the health care system. One of the local surveys by the SMDHU from 2024 says that one out of every three households in the region declared they did not have enough money for food in the last 30 days. This is an increase from 2022, which saw one in five households unable to meet the need. According to Public Health Ontario (PHO), food insecurity in the region is getting worse. It says 60,000 households experienced food insecurity from 2023 to 2024. So what can be done about the problem? Hurley says it’s an income issue rather than an access to food issue. “Vital food charity and emergency food programs do not address household food insecurity.” She says that the solution will have to come from all levels of government and they will need to put in place sustainable, income-based solutions.
