The Current Unaffordability Crisis and Our Seniors. How Are They Surviving When Most of Us Are Struggling?

Let’s take a moment to reflect: how often do we pause during these times of food inflation to consider the situation of others, particularly the most vulnerable in our community, our seniors? How are they managing when many of us, despite having jobs and access to money, still struggle to afford groceries?

We leave it to you to ponder this.

The facts presented in this article are indeed heart-wrenching, but they are important truths. The reason for sharing this information is to remind ourselves, especially as Muslims, of the countless blessings we have to be grateful for and to view this as an opportunity to please the Almighty by offering support to those in need.

Now, let’s delve into the issue.

A significant problem in Canada is the steady rise in grocery prices over the past several years, with seniors on fixed incomes bearing the greatest impact. In 2026, the average Canadian is expected to spend between $310 and $320 per person monthly on groceries, a jump from just $253 in 2019—an increase that pensions have not matched. For individuals living alone, grocery costs tend to be even higher due to the absence of bulk savings and shared expenses.

This situation has turned grocery shopping for seniors into a stressful mathematical problem rather than a simple task. Food insecurity among older adults has risen from 8% in 2019 to 12.6% in 2023, highlighting a growing issue in everyday life. The effects of this crisis are increasingly visible.

Brenda A., a checkout clerk at a major grocery store in Mississauga, often finds herself fighting back tears as she shares stories of seniors who bring their grocery baskets to her and ask her to remove items they cannot afford. More often than not, she observes that there’s hardly anything left in their baskets except for a loaf of bread and a tray of eggs.

There was even a moment when a grandmother asked if she could buy old, stale produce—items no longer fit for sale to regular customers.

If having to buy discarded produce wasn’t troubling enough, an even more alarming trend is emerging among pensioners: skipping meals.

Reports are surfacing of seniors quietly cutting back on how often they eat or reducing their portion sizes to stretch a fixed income throughout the month. This is not a one-off decision; it is a constant, daily calculation. A senior might skip breakfast entirely or divide a single meal into two servings without ever informing family members about their struggles. The shame associated with this issue often leads to silence, making the burden even heavier to bear alone.

While government support is slowly becoming available, much more action is needed, and quickly. Under the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, a single senior earning a net income of $25,000 will receive a one-time top-up of $267, along with a long-term increase of $136 for the 2026 to 2027 benefit year—totaling $402. This support is automatically provided through tax filings, eliminating the need for most eligible seniors to apply separately. 

Although this benefit is a step in the right direction, it cannot solve the entire problem on its own. It directly addresses findings that nearly one-third of older adults identify the rising cost of living as their most significant financial concern. Advocates continue to push for further measures, including expanded tax breaks and stronger support for seniors who live alone.

The bottom line is that solving food insecurity among seniors in Canada requires more than a single benefit increase or temporary support payment. Issues related to pension structures, housing affordability, and grocery prices need to be addressed in tandem rather than as separate problems. Policymakers, community organizations, and families all have a role in ensuring that no senior has to choose between paying rent and eating a proper meal.

*****