Food Insecurity

What is Food Insecurity?  

2025 Nutritious Food Basket Infographic

Food insecurity means not having enough money to buy the food you need. It can look like:

  • worrying about running out of food
  • compromising on the quantity and quality of food
  • skipping meals or going without eating

Download the 2025 Nutritious Food Basket Infographic (pdf - 147 KB) 

Food Insecurity is a Serious Public Health Problem

In 2024, over 1 in 4 households (25.7%) in Ottawa experienced food insecurity (1). This is a significant increase from 15.3% of households in 2019 (1).

Food insecurity has an impact on physical and mental health. People experiencing food insecurity are more likely to (2-11):

  • have mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety
  • have chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes
  • catch infections
  • have poor oral health
  • be injured

Management of chronic health conditions becomes harder because of the added costs to follow therapeutic diets and the ability to afford medications (5, 12, 13). Food insecurity puts a strain on the healthcare system because of the increased medical care needed (1).

The Cost of Eating Well in Ottawa

Every year, Ottawa Public Health monitors food affordability by conducting the Nutritious Food Basket (NFB) survey and comparing local food and housing costs to income.

In 2025, the monthly cost of the NFB for a family with two adults and two children, ages 8 and 14, was $1,180 (15).

The Cost of Living in Ottawa for Low-Income Households

When food costs from NFB and housing costs are compared to income, the results have consistently shown that low-income households are unable to afford the cost of basic living, including food. 

To provide a more comprehensive view of housing costs in Ottawa, housing data comes from both Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Rentals.ca. CMHC provides average rental prices, while Rentals.ca provides current market rates.

2025 Income Scenarios with CMHC Housing Data

2025 Income Scenarios with Rentals.ca Housing Data

Taking Action

Access to food is a basic human right.

Food insecurity is an income program that cannot be solved by food-based solutions. There is something that we can all do about it: 

  • Contact your municipal, provincial and federal government officials to express your support for solutions that help everyone afford the cost of living, such as:
    • Higher social assistance rates 
    • Secure employment opportunities, including a living minimum wage    
    • A basic income guarantee (Bill S-206) 
    • More affordable housing, public transit and childcare  
    • Reduced income tax for the lowest income households 
    • Free income tax filing support at community tax clinics
  • Share this information about food insecurity.
  • Become a Living Wage Employer.

To learn more

Download the Ottawa Board of Health - Nutritious Food Basket 2025 and Food Insecurity Report (pdf - 157 KB)

Webinar: Nutritious Food Basket 2023 and Food Insecurity in Ottawa (YouTube) - available in English only

PROOF Food Insecurity Policy Research

Ontario Living Wage Network

Ontario Dietitians in Public Health - Food Insecurity

Ottawa Hunger Reports - Ottawa Food Bank

References
  1. Public Health Ontario. Household food insecurity. Retrieved October 8, 2025, from https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/Data-and-Analysis/Health-Equity/Household-Food-Insecurity
  2. Jessiman-Perreault G, McIntyre L. (2017). The household food insecurity gradient and potential reductions in adverse population mental health outcomes in Canadian adults. SSM -Population Health. 3:464-72. 
  3. McIntyre et al. (2017). The pervasive effect of youth self-report of hunger on depression over 6 years of follow up. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 52:537-47.
  4. Men F, Elgar F, Tarasuk V. (2021). Food insecurity is associated with mental health problems among Canadian youth. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 75(8):741-8. 
  5. Tarasuk et al. (2013). Chronic physical and mental health conditions among adults may increase vulnerability to household food insecurity. J Nutr. 143(11):1785-93. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.178483. 
  6. Melchior M, Chastang J, Falissard B, et al. (2012). Food insecurity and children’s mental health: a prospective birth cohort study. PLoS One. 7(12):e52615.  
  7. Kirkpatrick and McIntyre & Potestio. (2010). Child hunger and long-term adverse consequences for health. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 164(8):754-62.
  8. Tait C, L’Abbe M, Smith P, et al. (2018). The association between food insecurity and incident type 2 diabetes in Canada: a population-based cohort study. PLoS One. 13(5):e0195962.   
  9. McIntyre L, Williams J, Lavorato D, et al. (2012). Depression and suicide ideation in late adolescence and early adulthood are an outcome of child hunger. Journal of Affective Disorders. 150(1):123-9.
  10. Cox J, Hamelin AM, McLinden T, et al. (2016). Food insecurity in HIV-hepatitis C virus co-infected individuals in Canada: the importance of co-morbidities. AIDS and Behavior. 21(3):792-802.
  11. Muirhead V, Quinonez C, Figueriredo R, et al. (2009). Oral health disparities and food insecurity in working poor Canadians. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. 37:294-304.
  12. Chan J, DeMelo M, Gingras J, et al. (2015). Challenges of diabetes self-management in adults affected by food insecurity in a large urban centre of Ontario, Canada. International Journal of Endocrinology. Article ID 903468.
  13. Men F, Gundersen C, Urquia ML, et al. (2019). Prescription medication nonadherence associated with food insecurity: a population-based cross-sectional study. CMAJ Open. 7(3):E590-E7. 
  14. Men F, Gundersen C, Urquia ML, et al. (2020). Food insecurity is associated with higher health care use and costs among Canadian adults. Health Affairs. 39(8):1377-85. 
  15. Ottawa Public Health. (2025). Ottawa Board of Health: 2025 Nutritious Food Basket Results and Food Insecurity Report.

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