The average family grocery bill is expected to raise over $400 a year in Canada.
A study by Dalhousie University is looking at how food prices are expected to rise in 2019.
Salvation Army, BV Ministries Director, Tim Sharp says the increase will have a significant impact on the Bulkley Valley.
“There are a lot of families that use our food banks living paycheque to paycheque. That will mean there will be more need for our food bank and drop-in centre,” said Sharp.
Necessities like vegetables, meat, and dairy are expected to increase between two to six per cent.
Sharp says the when choosing between going hungry or eating fast food people would rather eat.
“When you look at other areas around the country and North America people have already seen healthier foods more expensive and because their budget is stretched they eat a lot of fast food,” said Sharp.
He said some solutions are gardens and the services like the Salvation Army’s backpack program that tries to address the problem of poverty at a young age.