Feed the kids or pay the rent
November 7, 2005

Hamilton's Medical Officer of Health is reporting that "almost six percent of [city] households faced the choice between meeting their shelter needs and meeting their nutritional needs" last year.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson's report on the cost of a nutritious food basket goes before city council social and public health committee tomorrow. She notes that the food basket doesn't include "processed convenience foods, snack foods, foods of little nutritional value or purchases commonly made at grocery stores like laundry detergent, toilet paper or soap. It makes no allowances for special dietary needs of individuals or ethnic groups and does not allow for eating out or inviting friends or other family members over for a meal."

The basket cost rose 3.6% in the last year. Even ignoring rising rental costs, that isn't covered by the 3% increase in welfare and disability benefits provided this year by the provincial government. Richardson points out that this increase was the first in nine years, and that "prior to this, the longest period without an increase was four years".

The increase also does little to reverse the 21.6% cut in benefits imposed by the Mike Harris government in 1995. Over 23,000 Hamilton households receive welfare or disability benefits.

The full report can be read at
http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/9B2E858D-BA48-498C
-AEBA-1716407D9D84/0/Nov08SPH05051.pdf.