Canadian families are bracing for higher food bills in 2025, with an average household of four expected to pay $800 more for groceries, according to the newly released Canada’s Food Price Report. The report projects an overall food price increase of 3 to 5%, with the cost of meat rising by 4 to 6% and vegetables increasing by 4 to 5%.The rising grocery prices add to the financial strain many Canadians are already facing. Food Banks Canada reported over 2 million visits to food banks in March 2024 — a 90% increase since 2019. In Ontario alone, more than a million residents now rely on food banks, a number exceeding the population of New Brunswick.Conservative critics are pointing to the federal government’s carbon tax as a key driver of rising food costs, citing its impact on farmers and transportation. “If you tax the farmer who grows the food, and the trucker who ships the food, you end up taxing the family who buys the food,” said the Conservative Party in a Thursday statement.The carbon tax, introduced by the NDP-Liberal government, has been linked to food price increases outpacing those in the United States by 36%. With plans to raise the tax further — potentially quadrupling it to 61 cents per litre by 2030 — critics warn the burden on Canadian households will only intensify.As grocery prices continue to climb, calls for relief have intensified, with opponents of the carbon tax urging its repeal to alleviate the financial pressure on Canadian families.
