Welfare Payments "Not Enough" to Buy Healthy Food

Oct 4, 2006: Victoria Times-Colonist

People on welfare in B.C. have a “daunting task” putting healthy food on the table and as a result face a greater risk of chronic heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, the provincial health officer said in a report released today.

The officer, Dr. Perry Kendall, said B.C.’s welfare rates have failed to keep pace with inflation and fall short of covering the cost of shelter and food.

He recommended that the provincial government tie welfare rates to the actual cost of living.

“ Placing a priority on ensuring that low-income families can afford to purchase nutritious food would be an important step towards . . . fostering a healthier population,” Kendall said.

He said evidence suggests that government programs to help the poor and reduce social inequites would do more to improve the population’s health than simply spending ever more money treating preventable diseases.

“ We are a wealthy province, so there is an issue of social justice: Are some folks being left behind?” Kendall said in an interview.

“ The other issue is that we do know that one of the impacts of poor nutrition is increased health care costs, which we are paying for as well.”

-------------------

by Lindsay Kines