40% of single-parent homes can’t afford basic needs, says The Salvation Army

Taking Stock - Canadian affordability concerns Guest: Stephen Poloz, former governor of the Bank of Canada.

One in four Canadians is struggling to afford the rising cost of covering basic needs, new data released by The Salvation Army shows, but that figure climbs even higher for single parents.

In a report released on Monday, The Salvation Army outlined how food affordability and housing security remain top issues for Canadians struggling amidst inflation, based on more than 1,500 Canadians surveyed.

John Murray, the territorial secretary for communications with the Salvation Army Canada, says the struggle to afford basic needs extends to Canadians from coast to coast.

"The figures from our research are troubling and show that Canadians are struggling in every corner of this country and they are worried about their families' futures, with nearly 60 per cent of Canadians extremely concerned about the rising cost of living and inflation," Murray said in a press release.

"The situation is dire for single-parent families where parents are going without food to make ends meet."

The organization's 2023 Canadian Poverty and Socioeconomic Analysis found that single-parent families are facing the highest degree of financial struggle. While 25 per cent of Canadians fear they do not have enough income to cover their basic needs, according to the report, that percentage climbs to 40 per cent for single-parent households.

The survey also showed that 31 per cent of single-person households also feel that their annual income is insufficient for financial security, while 30 per cent of Canadian caregivers feel similar.

Twenty-one per cent of respondents reported that they have been forced to reduce food intake in order to afford groceries, often leading to eating one less meal, with that percentage jumping to 45 per cent for single-parent homes. Amidst this food insecurity, 22 per cent of parents reported eating less so their children or other family members could eat, with such sacrifices particularly typical among single parents (44 per cent), according to The Salvation Army.

"We understand this is a very difficult time for many Canadians," Murray said. "The general lack of affordability is having a toll on the emotional, mental and physical well-being of our communities. These are our friends, family and neighbours, and an increasing number of them are turning to The Salvation Army for support."

The report added that Canadians are hopeful that financial pressures will ease in the next six months, while anticipating limited financial resources.

According to the release, “The Salvation Army expects to sustain current levels of service to support Canadians dealing with these ongoing challenges and will continue to leverage this data and internal metrics to help direct resources where they're needed most.”

This year, the Liberal government released a grocery rebate, enabling couples who are GST-eligible and who have two children to receive an additional $467. Along with this, single Canadians without children can expect up to an additional $234, and seniors can receive an extra $225 on average. The effort was to help Canadians cope with food inflation, but many single-parent homes are not eligible for this support.

On CTV’s Your Morning Monday, Canada's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland was asked about how a single mother with one child, who makes about $26 dollars an hour, can expect to afford the rising cost of groceries, despite not being eligible for the grocery rebate.

Freeland cited a decrease in the cost of childcare in seven provinces and territories across Canada, as well as the Canada Child Benefit, which “has helped lift 500,000 children and their families over out of poverty," as measures that could help balance that mother's cost of living.

She also mentioned the recent grocery competition law, which is expected to give more power to consumers and ideally lower the price of putting food on the table.

“I think we all know that if you can shop around you get a better deal,” she said.

“We now have a law that is going to bring in a lot more competition and is going to crack down on anti-competitive practices. It will help our local grocery stores to fight back and that is going to really keep prices down. Give people more choice, give consumers more power.”

The Salvation Army said its survey was conducted from Oct. 12 to 19 with a sample of 1,515 Canadians who are members of the online Angus Reid Forum. The survey carries a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.