Costs of Living: The Rising Costs of Living, and Quality of life and its Effects on The Unhomed Community
- Purple Hands
- Mar 8
- 3 min read
By: Mckenna Brulotte-Mullins
The increasing costs of living do not just affect those in the low-income bracket, but all Canadians. In order to have a higher quality of life, it takes more money than it used to in recent years. Some factors that influence this phenomenon include rising grocery prices, and affordable housing being located in hotspots for drug use and crime.
To begin, the increasing costs of groceries is devastating for all Canadians, but can display increasing disparity among the homeless community as the demand for support for food banks rises (Pilkington). The executive director of Yellowknife’s Salvation Army, Jason Brinson, states that in the past this organization has spent only around $4000 on food support; in 2022 that number rose to around $160000 (Pilkington). Many are shocked by this grand increase in funds, “Is this number right? I was shocked at it as well,” exclaims Cabin Radio (Pilkington). Brinson remarks that even though costs to maintain the foodbank have skyrocketed, at the same time food and cash donations have decreased in the same timeline (Pilkington). The reason for this being interpreted as families unable to afford to give (Pilkington). The vice president of Yellowknife Food bank, Joanne Teed, voices the consideration that the price increases in groceries are hindering the quality of food they are able to offer (Pilkington). “The worst prices are meats, fruits, and vegetables,... We don’t buy meat any more, we just can’t afford it. When I look at prices from this time last year to this year, everything has gone up. It’s crazy” (Pilkington). As much as the price of food is a problem, it can also contribute to other factors of living: “Some of them say their rent has gone up, and now they’re having to make a decision to pay rent or buy food. It’s heartbreaking, hearing some of these stories” (Pilkington).
Another element that affects the cost of living is the cost to rent. Often an overlooked factor that contributes to the changes in the cost of housing is in relation to the opioid crisis (D’Lima, Thibodeau). The article, ‘Health Crisis and Housing Market Effects - Evidence from the U.S. Opioid Epidemic’, makes connections between opioid-related effects on the housing market (D’Lima, Thibodeau). One factor that is discussed is how prescription opioids may lead to other drug addictions; part of their explanation deduces that addicts potentially impose a negative externality on nearby property prices (D’Lima, Thibodeau). Thus, there may be a decrease in demand for housing in these affected areas leading to lower house prices (D’Lima, Thibodeau). Another element that is discussed is the idea that opioid addiction may result in death or mortgage default due to financial instability (D’Lima, Thibodeau). Such aftereffects can be the consequence in an increase of supply of properties on the market (D’Lima, Thibodeau). Furthermore, there is an indirect effect that comes to light from such grievances and that is the phenomena is that these houses on the market are located in a hot spot of an opioid epidemic (D’Lima, Thibodeau). This can help to explain why those of lower income may face a lower quality of life due to the fact that the only affordable housing is located in a focal point of drug use (D’Lima, Thibodeau).
To conclude, the discrepancies faced by the community as a whole can negatively affect those in lower-income situations or those who are unable to afford food and housing. It is important to recognize that the increasing prices in groceries not only have effects on people directly, but also have secondary effects such as the inability to afford to donate to those who are less fortunate. It is also recognizable that the quality of housing that is most affordable may not be adequate to living a healthy and constitutional life. Brulotte-
Works Cited
D’Lima W., Thibodeau M. (2021), Health Crisis and Housing Market Effects - Evidence from
the U.S. Opioid Epidemic, The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics
Pilkington C. (2023), Rising Grocery prices strain Yellowknife food banks, The Canadian Press
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