In the small Inuit community of Nain, Labrador, residents are sounding the alarm over "inhumane" food prices, claiming that outrageous grocery costs are leaving families to grapple with hunger. Rosie Harris, a mother of seven, shared her heartfelt struggles as she navigates life in one of Canada’s most challenging cost-of-living areas.

Nain, nestled on the northern coast and home to about 1,200 residents, is one of the few fly-in communities where the cost of basic necessities has skyrocketed. The federal Nutrition North Canada program, designed to subsidize food prices in remote areas, appears to be failing its mission, according to local economist Nicholas Li.

Harris, who juggles multiple jobs with her partner to make ends meet, vividly recalls the desperation they faced last winter when they had to skip meals to ensure their children had enough to eat. “It’s hard to even feel like I can have anything without depriving them,” she lamented in a recent interview. Such stark choices have left her feeling traumatized.

The data is alarming: Between 2011 and 2021, the cost of a nutritious food basket for a family of four in Nain increased by a staggering 62%, the highest rise among similar communities. In contrast, other remote areas covered by the Nutrition North program saw food prices decline by two percent during the same timeframe.

Local grocery stores — Franks and Northern Store — have come under intense scrutiny. Franks offers slightly lower prices but a limited selection, while Northern, which is part of the Winnipeg-based North West Company, has faced accusations of price gouging. A single liter of milk was recently priced at $6.19 at Northern, compared to $4.99 at Franks, highlighting the stark differences in pricing between the two retailers.

One of the most egregious examples shared by Harris includes a 1.7-kilogram cabbage priced at $10.18 and a two-pound pack of black plums at a shocking $15.29 from Northern Store. Harris and other residents are unequivocal: “It’s pure greed.”

Political leaders are taking note. Lela Evans, the Progressive Conservative member of the legislature for the region, condemned the price hikes in a social media post, calling it “blatant exploitation.” Meanwhile, Darryl Martin, a representative for Northern Store, defended the pricing structure. He attributed costs to complex logistical challenges in transporting goods to remote communities.

However, the pain felt by families like Harris's prompts calls for urgent reforms. Economists like Li suggest more substantial measures, such as placing price caps on subsidized products and promoting local co-operatives to enhance community ownership of food supply sources. These measures have shown success in other regions, like Greenland and Nunavik, where co-operatives strive to place local needs above profit.

As federal reviews of the Nutrition North program continue, Harris urges policymakers to visit Nain. "Until they see what we experience daily, they won’t understand the agony these food prices cause for families,” she expressed.

With the glimmer of hope for reform on the horizon, communities like Nain remain in survival mode, trying to navigate the ongoing crisis fueled by excessive food costs and the pressing need for change to safeguard the right to affordable, nutritious food for all.

As the fight against hunger continues, can the Canadian government step up to help those in dire need, or will these families remain trapped in a cycle of escalating food costs? Only time will tell.