Nutritious Food Basket 2015: Limited incomes, a recipe for hunger (Motion #43-15)

Moved by Noland, Meikleham. Approved by the Sudbury & District Board of Health on October 15, 2015.

WHEREAS the Sudbury & District Board of Health has monitored the cost of healthy eating  on an annual basis since 2008 in accordance with the Nutritious Food Basket Protocol and the Population Health Assessment and Surveillance Protocol per the Ontario Public Health Standards; and

WHEREAS the 2015 costing results continue to demonstrate that individuals and families living on low incomes cannot afford food after paying for housing and other necessities and therefore may be at higher risk for food insecurity; and

WHEREAS food insecurity means inadequate or insecure access to food because of financial constraints and has serious public health implications; and

WHEREAS a basic income guarantee is a cash transfer from government to citizens not tied to labour market participation that can ensure everyone has an income sufficient to meet basic needs; and

WHEREAS basic income guarantee is similar to the income guarantees provided in Canada for seniors and children, which have contributed to health improvements in those groups; and

WHEREAS basic income guarantee is a simpler and more transparent approach to social assistance and has the potential to eliminate poverty;

WHEREAS the Association of Local Public Health Agencies endorsed the concept of basic income guarantee;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Sudbury & District Board of Health urge provincial and federal governments to prioritize and investigate a joint federal-provincial basic income guarantee as a policy option for reducing poverty;

FURTHER THAT while basic income guarantee is being investigated, ask the Province to increase social assistance rates to reflect the actual cost of nutritious food and adequate housing as informed by the current results of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Nutritious Food Basket and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Rental Income (Ontario) reports;

FURTHER THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health request that the Province index social assistance rates to inflation to keep up with the rising cost of living;

FURTHER THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health share this motion and supporting materials with appropriate community agencies, boards, and municipalities throughout the catchment area.

This item was last modified on October 21, 2015