This is a revival of a series of global news entitled ‘On the edge“, Who profiles people who have trouble with the increase in the cost of living. In this story, an Ontario family tells how the price increase changes their traditions.
Sharon McArthur likes to cook, but she fails to be able to make a roasted dinner for her family.
Brooke-Alvinston, Ontario, 74, said that she and her 73-year-old husband, Wayne Gattinger, organized once or twice a week for dinner once or twice a week.
But with the current cost of grocery store, this family tradition has become one thing in the past.
“It is too prohibitive now, and our family understands it,” said McArthur, adding that their extended family is in the same boat.
“They don’t invite us there as they did because it’s quite difficult for them.”
A comfortable retirement and being close to the family has always been the couple’s goal.
In 2021, they started laying the basics of this lifestyle when they moved to Brooke -Alvinston – a canton about an hour outside London, Ontario.
After working all their adult life, they wanted to settle and get closer to their children and six grandchildren. McArthur retired at 67 after having encountered certain medical problems, and Gattinger stopped working at 72 years old when his employer closed.
Over the past four years, they say that essential elements such as grocery store and gas have killed their retirement budget, and that the two lack the means to save money.
“We both saved for our retirement … But … which can take into account doubling, triple and quadruplage?” Said McArthur.
“We thought we were responsible and that we were preparing for the future, but who can prepare for it?”
The couple lives around $ 2,800 per month, and $ 600 from which covers a monthly mortgage payment. Mix their bills, and McArthur said that she had the impression that nothing was left at the end of the month.
“We have reduced all the expenses we can,” she said, adding that they were limiting the heating of their house in winter and got rid of their second vehicle.
While McArthur said there were a lot of things they could happen, one of the most difficult things is to have enough money to buy from their grandchildren and birthday gifts.
“The more frightening part is in a year, our mortgage will be renewed. We are currently paying only two%, and if the rates (increase) (another) two percent, this will increase our mortgage by at least $ 300 per month, “she said.
“We could finish with homeless, and it’s a real fear.”
A recent CIBC survey shows that around 66% of Canadians modify their retirement plans given the current economic challenges.
More than 70% of those questioned declared that they planned to have to work on their retirement, by a progressive or semi-retired approach, some operating well after the 65-year-old retirement age.
One of the most uncontrollable expenses in McArthur and Gatttinger is grocery store.
“We never get out of the grocery store less than $ 100, and our pensions are so weak,” said McArthur.
McArthur prides himself on cooking all their meals from zero, but even then, she said that he became difficult to afford nutritious foods.
To help stretch meals, they count on hamburger, rice and oatmeal. They also rely on their local food bank to get out of it.
“Never in my life I imagined myself having had to access a food bank. … I have always given the food bank, and now I am a recipient,” said McArthur.
“We are only going (at the food bank) when we think we need it because it’s not fair. I know how to make meals, but in summer, we are going every week to get fresh products. ”
The couple is not alone. Although it is not the majority of users, Canada food banks report that the number of people aged 65 and more access to food banks has increased considerably compared to the pandemic.
Food banks have almost doubled in the past five years, the percentage of elderly people from 6.8% of all customers in 2019 to 7.7%.
The organization claims that customers who are the elderly, especially single elderly people, find it difficult for fixed income that cannot follow a rapid increase in food, housing and public services.
‘Something must give’
While inflation persists, Moshe Lander, professor of economics at the University of Concordia, said that the elderly on fixed income struggles because their income does not increase at the same rate as those used.
He argues that with more people who retire and that life expectancy increases, the government must postpone retirement age to accumulate in the Canada retirement plan.
“Something should give at some point,” said Lander.
“If you are going to keep the retirement age at 65 and you will make the same payments to retirees or adjust them to adjust the cost of living, you have no other choice than to increase taxes on existing workers … And when, then tax them so hard that they say:” You know what, I don’t want to work either.
McArthur and Gatttinger call an increase in the amount they receive from the Canadian pension plan.
“The cost of living has increased and everyone gets an increase, but the elderly do not receive,” said Gattinger. “They don’t give us anything.”
However, they try to remain optimistic.
“We are grateful for what we have today, and we will take as much as it is,” said Mcadre.
– with files Sean Previl And Kyle Benning
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