According to a previous report from the lab, and the University of Guelph, food prices could increase as much $487 next year for the average Canadian family of four

Almost ninety per cent of Canadians feel food prices are rising faster than their household income, according to a survey from the Dalhousie University Agri-food Analytics Lab.

Director Sylvain Charlebois telling NEWS 95.7 they were expecting about 65 per cent to hold that opinion, and were shocked to see the number actually hover around 87 per cent.

"So food affordability is becoming a real issue for a variety of reasons," explains Charlebois. "Lodging costs are going up, everything is actually going up, but food prices are actually moving much faster than the actual general inflation rate, and people are starting to feel it."

He says vegetable prices tallied a 12 per cent increase in cost this year alone, which amounts to about $150 to $200 more per year for the same amount of product compared to 2018.

He adds "2019 was already a challenging year, and we're expecting 2020 to be even worse."

If you look at household income below $80,000 a year, you do see a difference, especially compared to families earning $120,000 or more, where the crunch is not as obvious.

Charlebois adds concerns over food cost are widespread through the population, and not just affecting those with low incomes.