A projected $487 jump in food costs for the average Canadian family in 2020 could be the tipping point toward even more widespread food insecurity in Quinte, says the head of a social planning charity group in the region.

Ruth Ingersoll, executive director of the non-profit Community Development Council of Quinte, said while the added cost may seem incidental to some, the rise may represent a small fortune for one in nine families living on the edge of poverty.

“This could be a tipping point for some people. With this $487 increase they won’t be able to buy enough food,” warned Ingersoll, an 18-year veteran with CDC which provides a raft of food and social programs at no cost to help families cope.

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