Number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada
Canada: Number of people who are severely food insecure was 700,000 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada, 2015–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada is 700,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.7% on the previous year and up 250.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada peaked at 700,000 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 200,000 people, in 2015.
That places Canada 57th out of 118 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 200,000 people | — |
| 2016 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 200,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 300,000 people | +50.0% |
| 2019 | 300,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 400,000 people | +33.3% |
| 2021 | 500,000 people | +25.0% |
| 2022 | 600,000 people | +20.0% |
| 2023 | 700,000 people | +16.7% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 700,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 200,000 people, 3.5× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 240,000 people | 200,000 people | 300,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 550,000 people | 400,000 people | 700,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More reference data data for Canada
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 20.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 22.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 99.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.88 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada?
- Number of people who are severely food insecure in Canada was 700,000 people in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 700,000 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people who are severely food insecure recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 200,000 people in 2015.
- How does Canada rank for number of people who are severely food insecure?
- Canada ranks 57th out of 118 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people who are severely food insecure rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 250.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people who are severely food insecure. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Severe food insecurity is defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). It is strongly related to insufficient quantity of food (energy).