Salvation Army survey finds 31% of Canadians skipped or reduced meals because of food costs

The Salvation Army said on November 3 that 31% of Canadians surveyed had skipped a meal or reduced its size because they could not afford groceries, up from 27% in 2025. The organization released its annual Canadian Poverty and Socioeconomic Analysis in Toronto, Ontario.

The survey found that 15% had used community food supports, compared with 11% a year earlier. Among respondents aged 18-34, 41% reported skipping or reducing meals and 23% had used food supports.

Half of respondents said they were not confident they could find another suitable, affordable home in their community if they had to move. Twenty-four percent said housing took at least half their after-tax household income.

Edelman Intelligence conducted the study September 11-18 among 1,525 members of the online Angus Reid Forum, with the sample balanced and weighted by age, gender and region. It included 180 current and past users of Salvation Army services. Residents of Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut were excluded. The organization said a margin of error cannot be calculated for this non-probability sample.