A new report about food affordability in Lambton County is shining a light on the struggles local residents face in order to remain fed and housed.
Utilizing the Nutritious Food Basket survey tool, Lambton Public Health (LPH) staff collected food pricing data in May of 2025 from eight local grocery stores to reflect urban and rural areas of the county.
Results found the cost to feed a family of four in Lambton County was approximately $1,197 per month ($275 per week).
The LPH report also noted that 25.4 per cent of households in Lambton were considered food insecure, based on the most recent data from 2023 and 2024, which is up from 13.6 per cent in 2021 and 2022.
City/County Councillor Brian White called the statistic "staggering."
Data collected from last year suggests that low-income households in Lambton do not have enough money to buy nutritious food. Housing was identified as the largest expense for low-income households.
The stories of two local residents were shared in the report to illustrate the situations some people face.
In one case, a 59-year-old man is facing eviction because his Ontario Works (OW) allowance doesn't cover his monthly rent. He applied for OW after his hours were reduced and had trouble securing another job. Due to the financial strain, he's unable to pay his cellphone bill, which restricts his job search and ability to connect with local services.
In another case, a 32-year-old single mother of two is forced to skip meals and shrink her portion sizes so that her children can eat. She applied for OW after leaving an intimate partner violence situation, and has been looking for steady employment that will accommodate her childcare responsibilities.
Both individuals have experienced stress and anxiety due to their current living situations.
The report said addressing food insecurity requires income-based strategies to address the root cause, poverty.
"Strategies would need to include improving employment opportunities, increasing social assistance rates, raising minimum wage, improving employment standards, or providing a basic income," read the report.
LPH Manager of Health Promotion Jordan Banninga said the information will be shared with community partners.
"It's important that we're able to highlight this information and collect this data so that our community partners have a good sense of the reality, both from a housing, nutrition, and health perspective," Banninga said.
The data was presented to county council during its March 4 meeting. The report was received and filed.
