BusinessFood prices in Canada could increase by four to six per cent next year, largely led by pricier meat products, according to a forecast by researchers at Dalhousie University.Higher beef prices will push up costs for other meat, according to annual forecastJenna Benchetrit · CBC News · Posted: Dec 04, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.A woman shops for meat at a Metro grocery store in Montreal on Oct. 26, 2022. (CBC / Radio-Canada)Food prices in Canada could increase by four to six per cent next year, largely driven by pricier meat products, according to a forecast by researchers at Dalhousie University.Beef in particular is expected to get more expensive, potentially rising seven per cent, as cattle sizes shrink (those markets are susceptible to tariffs) and more ranchers leave the industry, said the research team behind Canada’s Food Price Report.Tightened beef supply is expected to last through 2027, though the country has upped its import volume to deal with those challenges, according to the forecast.”We’re expecting another difficult year due to beef prices and, because people are pivoting towards chicken, chicken prices are also on the rise,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the university’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab and lead author of the report.”So that’s why the entire category will actually be more expensive, unfortunately.”Meanwhile, food products usually found in the middle section of a grocery store could get more expensive after years of stagnant prices, he said. That includes pantry staples like canned goods.”Typically the centre of the store is a go-to place for people who are seeking harbour … from inflation,” he said. “That’s not going to be the case in 2026.”What are you doing to keep costs down this holiday season? We want to hear from you. Send an email to ask@cbc.ca.Generally, several factors could contribute to grocery inflation over the next 12 months, according to the Food Price Report — among them the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S., changes to the food manufacturing landscape and other economic factors, like labour conditions. Food banks see more clientsRoughly a quarter of Canadians live in food-insecure households, according to Food Banks Canada, meaning that they have inadequate access to food for financial reasons.Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto, said his organization now serves 330,000 clients a month — a figure that hovered around the 60,000 mark before the pandemic.”We’re not adding more food. What we’re seeing is more clients,” said Hetherington, who works with about 14,000 volunteers across the city. WATCH | She’s running a food bank out of her garage:She’s running a food bank out of her garageA reverend in Scarborough, Ont., has transformed her garage into a temporary food bank to keep people fed while their church undergoes renovations.”The number of clients here in Toronto could fill the Rogers Centre eight times every single month. That’s how many people we’re feeding.”With food prices generally trending upward since April 2024, many consumers say they’re already feeling the strain. Those who spoke to CBC News were dismayed by the prospect of more price growth at the grocery store.Toronto resident Sabra Al-Harthi said she’s considering buying meat less frequently. “I think I might just cut off the meat a little bit; make it a weekend thing.”WATCH | Meat prices expected to keep rising:Why you might need to pay more for meat next yearNew research from Dalhousie University predicts overall food prices in Canada will go up between four and six per cent in 2026, with beef expected to see the largest jump, as some ranchers leave the industry.Meanwhile, Giacomo LoGiacco said he’s splurging less on food. “I work a full-time job in a factory and I’m barely scraping by. I live paycheque to paycheque,” he said.”Sometimes I only get something on sale, but I’m only getting, like, milk, eggs, bread — the essentials.”ABOUT THE AUTHORJenna Benchetrit is the senior business writer for CBC News. She writes stories about Canadian economic and consumer issues, and has also recently covered U.S. politics. She was part of the team that won a silver Digital Publishing Award in best news coverage for covering the 2024 U.S. election. A Montrealer based in Toronto, Jenna holds a master’s degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. You can reach her at jenna.benchetrit@cbc.ca.With files from Nisha Patel, Anis Heydari and Shawn Benjamin
Food prices could increase in 2026, with meat leading the way, say Dalhousie researchers
