TOPIC: CALGARY WRESTLES WITH THE HIGH COST OF FOOD
First Person
How stubbornness and stale cereal help me fight inflation on a fixed income
The pandemic, combined with the soaring costs of food, utilities, mortgages and condo fees, has been hitting many people hard, especially those living on a fixed income. I’m one of them, writes Jan Rose.
Opinion
Efficient or resilient: Alberta must find the right balance to protect our food supply
Last summer, a brutal heat dome knocked out crops across the prairies. But on an experimental farm just south of Calgary, it also gave a measure of hope, writes researcher Tatenda Mambo.
Urban farm in Calgary receives $227K to build year-round greenhouse
The new greenhouse will allow the Calgary farm to expand its short growing season and help feed those most in need.
Analysis
Why Calgary's food plan is now an economic booster, not a plan to feed its people
Ten years ago, Calgary city council endorsed a plan to make local, healthy food accessible for all. Here's what happened.
Analysis
$100 for a rib roast? Yep. Some customers are forking out the cash and driving demand
The answer to why there’s a disconnect between Alberta cattle and beef prices is complex, but demand for beef is still strong.
Calgary woman shares her tricks for coupons, and others offer tips for stretching a food budget
As the cost of food rises, it seems everyone on a tight budget is finding different ways to save. In this article, residents from Calgary and across southern Alberta share their best tips.
Why a Calgary non-profit wants you to buy its discount produce — even if you can afford more
Sophie Walchuk gets off at the Sunalta CTrain station each day, so a new program that started there recently has the southwest Calgary resident smiling from ear to ear. It's pop-up produce market that offers inexpensive fruits and veggies.
Cheap winter gardening is possible even in Alberta — these residents are doing it
Not ready for the fancy hydroponics? These Calgary residents present their DIY takes on winter gardening to get fresh herbs and veggies throughout the cold months.
Albertans battle waste, high prices with food dehydrating
As food prices rise, dehydrating food is a practice that seems to be gaining traction. CBC Calgary has been looking at ways people can save on their grocery bills, and a handful of people immediately reached out to recommend it.
Want to save $600 on your family's grocery bill? A Calgary mom says it's totally doable
Flashfood is an app that takes a grocery retailer's soon-to-expire rack and puts it in the hands of strategic shoppers who are looking to cash in. Users say it has saved them hundreds of dollars a month.
COVID-19 decimated the Calgary Food Bank's depot system. Now it's slowly coming back
Plantains, rice, flour — dozens of residents lined up to get the basics at a church in Calgary's far northeast where help is delivered by an informal group of volunteers.
A former geologist imports a popular Chinese model to grow veggies year-round in Alberta's harsh climate
A former oil and gas geologist now runs an unconventional farm operation near Olds, Alta., that grows tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbages and other fresh vegetables year-round — and without using any conventional fossil fuel sources to keep his veggies nice and toasty during the harsh winter climate.
Join the effort: Help CBC document the cost of food and share tips for a tough winter
Food prices are rising, and that means a tough winter for many. We're gathering tips, highlighting what works and shining a light on what's happening. Subscribe here for updates and to help.
Food insecurity a struggle for those with celiac disease, Calgarian says
A Calgary woman with celiac disease says her budget can’t keep up with the rising cost of the food she needs.
Opinion
They didn't need a recipe for lentil shepherd's pie. What I learned about fighting poverty at cooking class
More than one in seven Canadians have trouble paying for groceries. We need to respond with more than food banks and free pantries, says writer Miriam Bankey.
Fighting inflation on a fixed income: These Calgary residents use faith, friends and a free breakfast
Inflation is at an 18-year high in Canada and hundreds of thousands of Albertans are trying to cope on minimum wage or fixed government stipends.
No bus ride, no forms, just food — how tiny charity startups have pushed big players to change
Free pantries, mutual aid, pay-what-you-can stores — informal food assistance surged in popularity during the pandemic. But insiders say this isn't slowing down and it's challenging the formal charity sector to drop its barriers.
Neighbours across Calgary create mini depots selling veggie boxes at wholesale prices
Customers say produce from the Good Food Box is roughly half the cost of what the big grocery stores charge, with volunteers staffing 130 pickup spots across the city.
Millions of pounds of food 'rescued' as waste diversion pushes food to charity sector
Cellphone apps that make it easier for grocery stores, restaurants and catering companies to donate unsold food to charity have taken off, especially in the last year. It's changing the industry.
Calgary's large indoor veggie farms aim to match the price of California imports
Can Calgary cut back on trucking? Fresh herbs grown locally in the winter are now the same price as those imported from California.
Interview: Vibrant Communities' Meaghon Reid worries food costs could remain high
Climate change and supply chain issues mean the price of food is unlikely to fall again soon and that's forced many families to make tough decisions, says the head of one local non-profit.
Video
Fighting food costs: Discount stores turn 'jobbed' veggies into deals
Discount produce stores are popping up across Calgary and some shoppers use them to combat the high cost of food. So where do those cheap deals come from?
Calgary families see roughly $220 added to monthly grocery bill; CBC launches new focus on food cost
Families in Calgary are spending roughly $220 more per month on groceries this year, according to the living wage report out in early November.