Building the Case provides evidence for the federal government to urgently step up to support single, working-age adults in Canada. This group experiences Canada’s highest and deepest rates of poverty and some of the country’s highest rates of food insecurity. 

By analyzing publicly available income survey data from Statistics Canada, we found:

1 in 3 (35%) working-age, single adults lived below the poverty line and 1 in 4 (24%) working-age, single adults experienced food insecurity—rates that were much higher than the national rates of 8.7% and 17%, respectively.

Food insecurity impacts some groups of working-age, single adults more than others. The people most impacted include recipients of social assistance, people with lower education levels, renters, and newcomers. 

Working-age, single adults who experience food insecurity are more likely to have a hard time meeting other basic material needs, like housing.