The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has calculated that Sunday, February 8, 2026, marks Food Freedom Day, the date when the average Canadian household has earned enough income to cover its entire annual grocery bill.

Each year, CFA tracks how much of their disposable income Canadians spend on food and beverages to better understand how food affordability is changing over time. In 2025, Canadians spent 10.8 per cent of their disposable income on food, up slightly from 10.7 per cent in 2024, keeping Food Freedom Day on the same date as last year.

While Canada continues to have relatively affordable food by global standards, rising food prices over several years have increased pressure on many households. Average income figures don’t fully capture the strain felt by lower-income families.



To reflect this, CFA also examines Food Freedom Day across income levels. Last year, households in the lowest income quintile spent 28.2 per cent of their disposable income on food, compared to 5.18 per cent for those in the highest income quintile.

CFA notes that higher grocery prices do not necessarily mean higher returns for farmers, who receive only a small share of the retail food dollar.

Source:  Farm & Food Care Ontario February 3, 2026 newsletter