Food prices will go up by about 4% next year, according to the 10th annual report prepared by researchers at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, and the University of Guelph.
Lead author Sylvain Charlebois said during a CBC interview today that meat prices will rise the most because China is once again buying Canadian beef and pork.
It suspended purchasing Canadian meats in the fall because it found pork laced with ractopamine, a growth promotant banned in China, and then more than 170 fraudulent Canadian Food Inspection Agency export certificates.
Price increases are forecast for dairy, meat, seafood, fruits, and veggies; only bakery items are exempt.
Charlebois said Canadians can reduce restaurant meals and do more home cooking to keep food costs down.
While four per cent is one of the biggest annual increases since the survey began, it’s not much different from the 3.7 per cent increase Canadians experienced this October compared with a year earlier.
