Average Canadian family will pay up to $695 more for food next year: report

The average Canadian family will pay up to 5 per cent more for food next year.

That’s according to the 2021 Food Price report from researchers at the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University.

The average Canadian family of four will pay as much as $695 more on food next year, for a total grocery bill of nearly $14,000 a year.

It’s the highest increase predicted since the annual report’s inception 11 years ago.

The report say the pandemic, wildfires and changing consumer habits are driving up costs.

Researchers say the meat industry is especially vulnerable to the pandemic due to labour shortages, logistical disruptions and production shutdowns.