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Skyrocketing prices are forcing more Canadians to make tough decisions, leaving even middle-class families to choose between buying the food they need and paying their bills.
A recent survey from Food Banks Canada found that nearly one in five Canadians reported going hungry over the last two years.
With the war in Ukraine contributing to the largest cost-of-living crisis of the 21st century, according to a United Nations report released this week, even families in wealthier countries are feeling the squeeze.
“The war in Ukraine has trapped the people of the world between a rock and a hard place,” a briefing from the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group states.
“The rock is the severe price shocks in food, energy and fertilizer markets due to the war…. The hard place is the extremely fragile context in which this crisis arrived; a world facing the cascading crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.”
Middle-class families barely scraping by
The current situation is making it tough for people like Dave Arsenault of Moncton, N.B.
He said that before the COVID-19 pandemic, which was declared in early 2020, he would have described his family of four as middle class. Now, he said, they live paycheque to paycheque.
“It feels depressing,” Arsenault said. “It’s frustrating because it’s through no fault of your own that your entire lifestyle changes.”
Feeding his family, which includes 11-year-old twins, is tough even with a double income, said Arsenault, who works at a newspaper printing press and is the president of his union local.
Both he and his wife, an office administrator, have unionized jobs with standardized yearly raises, but he said it’s still not enough to keep up with rising costs.
“It’s a definite struggle,” he said.
Canadians forced to cut back as inflation squeezes their budgets
5 hours ago
Duration 1:34
Torontonians share how they’re coping with inflation, from watching what they spend at grocery stores to keeping to essential purchases only.
Arsenault said the family used to be able to afford to stock up on extras when grocery shopping, but now they can only afford necessities — despite hunting for bargains.
“We’re barely just scraping by on getting enough for what we actually need,” he said. “We’ve cut out a lot of meat…. Instead of buying steaks, you buy pork chops.”
Arsenault said while he noticed a jump in prices early in the pandemic, it’s gotten a lot worse in the last six months.
“We run out of stuff a lot,” he said.
Surviving on oatmeal, eggs and tuna
Johnnie Barlow, a resident of rural Prince Edward Island, knows that reality all too well.
“In the last few months with the price of everything going up, there’s nothing left. By the first week of the month, I’m out of money,” he said.
Barlow currently relies on income assistance because he has a brain tumour that affects his thinking, making it difficult to work.
Since the financial support he receives isn’t enough to cover rising costs, he said he’s had to start restricting his diet.
P.E.I. resident Johnnie Barlow says living on a fixed income as prices soar means he’s eating less to cover the cost of other necessities. He relies on income assistance due to a health issue, and he’ll need to pay for car repairs in order to return to work. (Submitted by Johnnie Barlow)
Lately, Barlow said, he’s been surviving on oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs and tuna.
“I’m trying to stay healthy as cheaply as I can,” he said.
Barlow joked that “it’s great for weight loss” and said he’s trying to keep a positive outlook.
He’s also had to cut back on the nutritional supplements he used to buy, to help treat symptoms caused by the tumour.
Barlow, who lives 20 minutes from Charlottetown, said he’s hoping to soon return to his job selling home heating and cooling systems. But to do that, he needs to pay for repairs on his car, the only mode of transportation available where he lives.
“You have to spend money to make money,” he said.
Costs keep rising, but wages stay the same
Even families with more disposable income say they’re taking a hit.
Christine Taylor, who lives in southern Ontario, said she’s finding it hard to pay all of her family’s bills, and she worries about those less fortunate.
“This direction is not economically sustainable. It will break people — not only financially, but emotionally and mentally,” she said.
Taylor, who has a job in the fuel and energy industry, said she and her husband, who works in home and mobile electronics, bring in a combined annual income of about $85,000. Yet it’s not enough to keep up with all of the expenses that come with owning a home and raising two teens.
Christine Taylor, right, shown with her husband, says while her middle-income family is making ends meet by cutting out extras, she worries about those on fixed incomes who were struggling before costs started to rise. (Submitted by Christine Taylor)
“We just get by,” she said. “And costs keep rising and our wages stay the same.”
Taylor said they’ve postponed paying some bills in order to cover the cost of vehicle repairs.
She’s also started hunting for bargains at the grocery store and planning more meals that will make leftovers.
Extra expenses — like an annual family trip to Thunder Bay, in northwestern Ontario, or horseback riding lessons — are some of the cuts they’ve had to make.
WATCH | Food banks in Canada brace for summer of hunger as prices rise:
Food banks brace for summer of hunger
4 days ago
Duration 2:08
Food banks across the country are bracing for a summer of hunger as rising inflation pushes more Canadians to rely on charitable services.
“As a family within the middle class, we are feeling [the] struggle and cannot afford to do simple things on the side,” she said.
Taylor said while they’re tightening their belts, she worries about those on a fixed income who have no extras to cut.
MILAN (AP) — Bologna’s preparations for its Champions League debut are not going well though it managed to spoil Como’s first Serie A home match in 21 years on Saturday.
Bologna came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw to gather three points from its opening four matches.
Bologna hosts Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. Its only other appearance in Europe’s top competition was in 1964 in the preliminary round of the old European Cup.
AC Milan is also winless as it prepares for a Tuesday Champions League match against Liverpool. The Rossoneri hosted promoted Venezia later. Juventus drew at Empoli 0-0.
Como made a great start in the fifth minute when Patrick Cutrone attempted to roll the ball across the six-yard box but it took a huge deflection off Bologna defender Nicolò Casale for an own goal.
Bologna thought it was gifted a way back into the match on the stroke of halftime when referee Marco Piccinini signalled for a penalty following an Alberto Moreno handball, but he revoked his decision and instead gave a free kick because the handball was just outside the area.
Bologna improved after the break but found itself further behind when Cutrone raced onto a through ball and cut inside past a defender and fired into the far bottom corner.
Tommaso Pobega hit the post for Bologna, which finally pulled one back in the 76th through substitute Santiago Castro.
Another substitute helped the visitors snatch a point when Samuel Iling-Junior curled a fine strike into the top left corner in stoppage time.
Unbeaten sides
Juventus, and more surprisingly Empoli, are among six unbeaten sides.
Empoli held Monza and Bologna to draws either side of a shock 2-1 win at Roma. Juventus’ perfect start to the season was ruined by Roma in a goalless draw before the international break.
On Saturday, there were few clearcut chances in Empoli although home goalkeeper Devis Vásquez made spectacular saves to fingertip out a Federico Gatti header and deny Dusan Vlahovic in a one on one with the Juventus forward.
Empoli had a good opportunity in the 73rd minute following an Alberto Grassi one-two with Pietro Pellegri but the finish was straight at Mattia Perin.
The host could have won it right at the death but Gatti flew in with a great sliding block to keep out Emanuel Gyasi’s close-range effort.
Juventus hosts PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Not good enough. That was Arne Slot’s verdict after his first defeat as Liverpool manager on Saturday.
A shock 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League ended Slot’s perfect record since succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield at the end of last season.
“We had a lot of ball possession but only managed to create three (or) four quite good chances, so that is by far not enough if you have so much ball possession,” said the Dutchman, who suggested his team should not be losing to the likes of Forest.
“If you lose a home game it’s always a setback, especially if you face a team … we never know, maybe they will go all the way to fight for Champions League tickets, but normally this team is not ending up in the top 10, so if you lose a game against them that’s a big disappointment.”
Slot won his first three games in charge, including a memorable 3-0 victory against Manchester United before the international break.
But that run came to an end after Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.
Liverpool’s defeat leaves Manchester City as the only team with a 100% record in the league after a 2-1 win against Brentford kept the defending champion at the top of the table.
United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.
Unstoppable Haaland
Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for City after scoring twice against Brentford.
The Norwegian’s double came after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.
Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.
“He’s been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he’s the best (he’s been), but it’s only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.
Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.
He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.
He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.
Rashford snaps run
Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.
Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.
Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.
Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.
“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.
De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.
It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.
Villa comeback
After three straight defeats to start the league, Everton looked set for its first win when leading Aston Villa 2-0.
Goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Sean Dyche’s team in control until Ollie Watkins struck twice to even the game.
Jhon Duran completed Villa’s comeback and sealed a 3-2 win in the 76th to leave Everton rooted to the bottom of the table and the only top flight team without a point.
Late drama
Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.
Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.
But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.
Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.
West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
