Fiscal update fails to meet generational challenge

The federal government released its 2026 Spring Economic Update (SEU) today, outlining a series of measures aimed at addressing affordability pressures facing Canadians.

The update includes steps such as changes to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC), continued rollout of the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), ongoing investments in housing, and plans to update some food safety and pesticide laws so that decisions also consider food affordability and access.

These measures are intended to ease cost-of-living pressures and improve access to key supports. Expanding access to the DTC will help more people qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit, and direct supports like the CGEB — an important policy shaped by sector advocacy — can provide some relief to lower-income households. Continued investments in affordable and non-market housing are a positive step and remain essential. High housing costs are one of the biggest drivers of food insecurity in our country.

But taken together, this update does not meet the scale of the food insecurity crisis.

With prices expected to keep rising as global oil price volatility drives up the cost of essentials, many households will remain under significant financial strain. Across Canada, more than 10 million people are struggling to afford food. Far from a supply issue, at its root this is an income issue.

Rather than address the scale of the food insecurity crisis, the government has prioritized measures that do little to help those most affected. We have broad tax cuts that don’t target those most in need — such as the fuel excise tax removal — reductions to public services that are expected to affect thousands of positions, and $81.8 billion in new military spending over the next five years. If anything, these measures risk making it harder to address social issues in our country.

What’s missing is a clear plan to ensure people have stable, adequate incomes to withstand shocks and inadequacy today. Temporary supports can help in the moment, but they do not address the structural drivers of poverty and food insecurity.

The previously announced National Food Security Strategy must address inadequate and unstable incomes and work with organizations on the frontline of the crisis. The strategy must address whether people can afford to eat, not only focus on food systems.

While the update includes previous announcements related to improving Indigenous food security, no significant new investments have been made. For Indigenous communities, food insecurity is inseparable from land, access, and the ongoing impacts of colonial policies. Any meaningful response must include sustained, flexible investment in Indigenous-led food systems and harvesting practices.

Ultimately, incremental measures will not be enough to deliver the generational wealth and growth the government has promised for all Canadians. The federal government must move beyond short-term relief and commit to lasting solutions: incomes people can live on, strong and reliable public systems, and sustained investment in Indigenous-led food systems.

The upcoming federal budget is the next opportunity for meaningful action. Right To Food is ready to work with the federal government, and all orders of government, as well as civil society partners and the private sector to address the scale of the crisis before us.