Food prices could jump 4 to 6 per cent next year, says Dalhousie report | CBC News

"Food prices in Canada could increase by four to six per cent next year, largely driven by pricier meat products, according to a forecast by researchers at Dalhousie University. Beef in particular is expected to get more expensive, potentially rising seven per cent, as cattle sizes shrink (those markets are susceptible to tariffs) and more ranchers leave the industry, said the research team behind Canada's Food Price Report. Tightened beef supply is expected to last through 2027, though the country has upped its import volume to deal with those challenges, according to the forecast."

""We're expecting another difficult year due to beef prices and, because people are pivoting towards chicken, chicken prices are also on the rise," said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the university's Agri-Food Analytics Lab and lead author of the report. "So that's why the entire category will actually be more expensive, unfortunately.""

""Typically the centre of the store is a go-to place for people who are seeking harbour ... from inflation," he said. "That's not going to be the case in 2026.""

"Roughly a quarter of Canadians live in food-insecure households, according to Food Banks Canada, meaning that they have inadequate access to food for financial reasons. Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto, said his organization now serves 330,000 clients a month a figure that hovered around the 60,000 mark before the pandemic."

Food prices in Canada could rise by four to six per cent next year, with meat leading increases. Beef is expected to climb around seven per cent as smaller cattle sizes, vulnerability to tariffs, and a reduction in ranchers tighten supply through 2027 despite higher import volumes. Consumer shifts toward chicken are pushing poultry prices up as well, increasing the overall meat category cost. Centre-of-store items such as canned goods are projected to see price increases after years of stagnation. Contributing factors include an ongoing U.S. trade dispute, changes in food manufacturing, and labour conditions. Food-bank demand has surged, reflecting widespread food insecurity.

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