Affordability
Canada continues to face an affordability crisis. High housing prices, along with stagnant wages, are creating barriers for Canadians to afford necessities including housing, food, childcare, and healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities, with high priority and equity-deserving communities continuing to face the disproportionate impacts resulting from the inequities of the social and structural determinants of health.
Approximately 4.2 million Canadians live below the poverty line. 18% of families in Canada (6.9 million Canadians) report that they experience some level of food insecurity; on average, food insecurity is higher among Indigenous families, racialized communities, and newcomer families. Lack of affordability has a major impact on the health of Canadians and major downstream costs.
Food Banks Canada reports that 25% of Canadians live in poverty and almost 2 million Canadians will visit a food banks in one month.
Low-income and poverty are among the single greatest predictors of illness for Canadians. Poverty also costs us roughly $30 billion each year alone in preventable healthcare, social service and judicial system costs across Canada. Investing in poverty reduction and affordability leads to lower public costs and higher revenue. Increasing food security, reducing income disparities, and investing in affordable housing leads to overall reduced healthcare system and social service costs.
CHCs have a frontline perspective on the impact of poverty, and they play a crucial role through the provision of comprehensive, wraparound care that addresses both health and social needs to alleviate the impacts of poverty and lack of affordability on the individuals and communities they serve.
