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Fast Facts:
There are many factors that can influence food security. This
is illustrated in the
Determinants of Food Security diagram. Below is are a few statistics
that help to paint a picture of the growing
problem of food insecurity in Nova Scotia and across Canada.
National
Overall, 2.7 million Canadians, or 9.2% of the population, lived in food insecure households in 2004.25
After more than a decade of robust economic health, many families with children continue to struggle to make ends meet. Thirty-seven percent of individuals assisted by food banks in March 2008 were children under the age of 18, and half of assisted households are families containing at least one child.17
17.6% of children in Canada live below the low income cut off.4
The average distance food
travels in North America before it reaches your plate is about 2000 miles (which is 3219 km).13
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia, at 14.6% (approximately 132,400 households), has a significantly higher percentage of families
reporting moderate to severe levels of income-related food insecurity
than the Canadian average (9.2%).22
21% of Nova Scotian families with 3 or more children reported moderate
or severe income-related food insecurity in 2004.25
15.3 % of Nova Scotia children live below the low income cut-off.18
Nova Scotia has one of the lowest minimum wage rates in the country at 8.10/hr.5
In March 2008, 16 915 Nova Scotians accessed a food bank; 35% of whom
were children.17
33.4% of female led lone-parent families reported experiencing
income-related food insecurity in 2004.25
The information on this website has been developed by and is at the discretion of Dr. Patty Williams. The information on this site is not published by Mount Saint Vincent University and therefore Mount Saint Vincent University cannot accept responsibility or liability for any persons who suffer loss, injury or damage from its use. Anyone using the information on this site does so at his or her own risk.