Canadians Want Local Food, But Wallets Say No

📝 DESCRIPTION
Canadians Want Local Food, But Wallets Say No

It’s one of the most gut-wrenching contradictions in today’s economy: Canadians overwhelmingly say they want to support local farmers and homegrown food—but at the checkout line, most walk away with cheaper foreign goods instead. And it’s not because they’re unpatriotic. It’s because they’re trying to survive.

A new PwC Canada report shows that while three out of four Canadians express a desire to “buy Canadian,” nearly two-thirds end up choosing the cheaper imported option. Food inflation continues to outpace wage growth, and the projected grocery bill for a family of four in 2025 now exceeds $16,800.

What’s fueling this affordability crisis? Experts point to a toxic mix of unresolved trade disputes, punitive tariffs, regulatory bloat, limited competition in the retail sector, and a federal government more focused on optics than outcomes. The Trudeau government has given grocers until Thanksgiving to “fix” rising prices—or face intervention. But it’s hard to take that threat seriously when Ottawa’s own policies—carbon taxes, U.S. food tariffs, and compliance burdens—are helping drive the crisis.

This isn’t just about tomatoes and cereal boxes. It’s about food sovereignty, dignity, and the freedom to choose without financial coercion. When a Canadian family can’t afford Canadian food, we’re not just losing a sale—we’re losing a piece of our cultural identity.

Can we fix a system that punishes people for buying local?
Or are we content to let global supply chains dictate what ends up on our plates?

Let’s have the conversation the government keeps avoiding—and push for a food system that works for the people who live here.

🔍 KEYWORD
#canadianfoodcrisis #localfoodinflation #trudeaueconomy #supportlocalfarms #foodaffordability