Rising Grocery Costs Push Canadian Domestic Violence Shelters to the Brink
A national survey reveals that 96 per cent of responding domestic violence shelters believe their communities are facing a food insecurity crisis. In Nova Scotia, shelter directors report sharp increases in grocery bills and are cutting non-essential spending to ensure residents have enough to eat.
A new survey by Women’s Shelters Canada, which drew responses from 239 shelter organizations, found that 96 per cent of respondents feel their community is facing a food insecurity crisis. Additionally, 75 per cent reported that it has become more difficult over the past year to ensure there is enough food for residents. 
The financial strain is particularly evident at domestic violence shelters in Nova Scotia, where provincial funding is not keeping pace with inflation. Survivors often arrive at these facilities already hungry due to poverty or control exerted by abusers, placing immediate pressure on shelter resources.
Rachel Shepherd, executive director of Bryony House, estimates that food costs at the shelter have increased by at least 25 per cent over the past year. The facility, which has a capacity of 40 women and children, relies on donations from Feed Nova Scotia, which delivers groceries three times per week, because provincial government funding is insufficient to cover food costs.
At Cape Breton Transition House, director Jodi McDavid stated that annual grocery spending rose from $27,000 in recent years to $35,000 this year. To afford groceries, the shelter has had to reallocate money, apply for more grants, and cut back on holiday gifts and staff training. Across the sector, non-profit shelters are being forced to prioritize feeding residents over other essential services, adding significant financial pressure on shelter workers who must also struggle to fundraise and build partnerships to secure food.
The Nova Scotia government provides $17.6 million annually in core funding for transition houses and women’s centres to cover salaries and operating costs. To address mounting cost-of-living pressures, the province announced a $17.9 million investment in 2025 aimed at stabilizing operations at transition houses. 