Canadians can expect to pay more for their traditional Thanksgiving meal this year, according to a new report released by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. In its annual Thanksgiving Meal Report, researchers found that a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner is expected to cost 10 per cent more this year compared to 2025. Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University, said the bulk of the increase comes from the poultry sector. Poultry under pressure “Poultry has been under a lot of pressure this year in production,” Charlebois said. “It’s partly because of the beef pivot -- there’s more demand for poultry, and that’s been a challenge for the sector. Plus, diesel prices are really impacting the supply chain right now.” A traditional Canadian Thanksgiving dinner for a family of four will cost $35.72 this year, a 10 per cent increase from last year’s $32.48. Researchers calculate the total by tracking the average retail prices of a standard basket of traditional holiday items for a family of four, including a whole turkey, vegetables, stuffing, and dessert. They then add up individual grocery costs to determine the overall baseline meal price and compare it year-over-year. With the holidays fast approaching, community organizations are already feeling the strain of rising costs. Ardis Chedore, executive director of the Cochrane Regional Food Bank, said 100 food hampers flew off the shelves Monday alone. “For our hampers this year, we did not offer turkey, just because it was too expensive,” Chedore said. Ham as an alternative “We actually gave ham instead as an alternative. There are some dietary restrictions with that because not everyone can eat pork products. So we did have alternatives available, but it’s extremely expensive to keep those holiday staples that everybody remembers, like turkey or even chicken.” Chedore said there are items that are always needed. “Vegetables, canned vegetables, any kind of protein whatsoever is welcome,” she said. “Tuna, salmon, any staples like that. Welcome to cereals. One of these big things that are extremely expensive to purchase. Anybody who’s been to the grocery store knows that.” Click Fork is a Verner-based online farmers market that launched 10 years ago and features more than 60 vendors from across northeastern Ontario. Chantal Lewington, market manager and local farmer, said that while some producers have kept prices consistent this year, operational costs make it difficult. Cost of everything is ‘so high’ “I think a lot of people want to support local, but because the cost of everything is becoming so high, it’s difficult for them to afford it,” Lewington said. “Products from small farms have always been more expensive due to the nature of how we raise things -- we’re not doing it on a massive scale like a commodity farm. So, it’s very difficult for us to compete with imported products.” Charlebois said that hosts are finding creative ways to mitigate the financial burden. Many are asking guests to bring a dish potluck-style to share the cost, while others are choosing to skip meat altogether for their holiday gatherings. Chedore said she encourages those with extra time to consider volunteering at a food bank. “I know that there are a lot of people out there that just need that socialization. So if you have the ability to invite somebody over for dinner, that you think that maybe they’re going to be by themselves, definitely a kind thing to do,” she said. “Maybe even donate your time to any of the food security services, soup kitchens or food banks.”
