Food Prices Expected To Rise In 2017

Could add $420 to average food bill

There’s been a light drop in food prices in recent weeks, but researchers at Dalhousie University say that is likely to change in the new year – pointing to a lower loonie and the impact of a Donald Trump government in the U.S. They say overall food prices are likely to rise between three and five per cent but meat, vegetables and fish could rise as much as six per cent. This could add another $420 to the average grocery bill next year. The researchers expect the loonie to drop, bringing up the price of many of Canada’s imports, including produce and nuts. Several Trump policies could drive up Canadian grocery bills for the next several years, according to the report. Trump, for example, could deport some of the estimated two million seasonal farm workers who are in the U.S. without legal permission, creating a production shortage and higher prices.