Statistics Canada data said more than one-third of Canadian households have difficulty paying for groceries, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“As inflation ramped up in 2022, Canadians reported they were most impacted by rising food prices,” said Statistics Canada Assistant Director Matthew MacDonald at the House of Commons Agriculture Committee..MPs on the Commons Agriculture Committee blamed a lack of competition among grocery stores. .Statistics Canada cited findings of Canadian Social Survey questionnaires which showed young families, renters, and unemployed people were hardest hit by food inflation. The data said 35% of Canadians are experiencing difficulties paying for transportation, housing, food, clothing, and other basic needs. .Liberal MP Francis Drouin (Glengarry-Prescott) said he does not “want to point the finger at one industry more than any other, but we are here because we do have questions from our constituents.”.“People are worried,” said Drouin. .NDP MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan-Malahat) acknowledged every one eats. .“Certainly the people in my area on Vancouver Island, it’s a painful experience every time they are going to the grocery store,” said MacGregor. .Conservative MP Lianne Rood (Lambton-Kent) said lack of competition in the grocery trade has affected prices. Rood said the oligopoly of the grocery industry “keeps profits high.” .“We have so few independent grocery stores left in this country,” she said. .Competition Bureau Deputy Commissioner Anthony Durocher said the agency was reviewing the state of the grocery market. Durocher added the study is not an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing. .“Instead, we are proactively looking for ways governments can act to improve competition in the sector because more competition means lower prices,” he said. .Inflation in Canada rose 5.9% year over year in January, following a 6.3% gain in December, according to February 21 data released by Statistics Canada. .READ MORE: Inflation in Canada slows to 5.9% in January.Prices rose 4.9% on a year-over-year basis excluding food and energy prices and 5.4% excluding mortgage interest costs in January. In those cases, year-over-year price growth slowed compared with December. .Food prices rose at a slightly faster pace year over year in January (10.4%) than in December (10.1%).
