>  I understand that as part of the mandatory programs and services health
units
> have been mandated to monitor the cost of a nutritious food basket.
> Could people share some of the figures they have come up with and discuss
> how they feel about this?

We have completed two of these surveys in Simcoe County - one last fall and
the second in June 1999.  The results have been interesting.  When you plug
in the information related to local housing costs, calculate incomes based
on social assistance rates or minimum wage employment for various sizes of
families and compare that to the cost of a nutritious food basket (which is
based on very basic food items, no steak or potato chips, no toiletries or
paper products) the information is quite revealing.

For a reference family of 4 - two adults and two elementary aged children -
we found that they would have $4.60 per person per week left after paying
rent/utilities and food.  This would have to cover everything from toilet
paper to school supplies, transportation etc.  This was a lower amount than
we came out with in September 98 - likely related to locally available fresh
produce in the fall.

We shared our initial survey results with our Board of Health and the
discussion there was very lively.  It certainly opened the eyes of the
municipal politicians on our board around the  impact of welfare cuts.  We
have yet to map out a strategy for application of the information beyond
sharing the results with other agencies.

I would be interested to know what others may have done with their results.
Joyce Fox
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