Food prices in Canada likely to increase by 3 to 5% next year: report – National [Video]

Food prices in Canada are likely to increase by three to five per cent next year, according to a newly released report, but wild cards like climate change and Donald Trump could have unforeseen impacts.

That’s the conclusion of the 15th annual food price report released Thursday by a partnership that includes researchers at Dalhousie University, the University of Guelph, University of Saskatchewan and University of British Columbia.

The report’s authors used three different machine learning and AI models to make their predictions, and concluded a Canadian family of four can expect to spend $16,833.67 on food in 2025 — an increase of up to $801.56 from last year.

Though it still marks a rise in grocery bills, the rate of food price growth has moderated since the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when rampant inflation meant Canadians suffered through double-digit year-over-year food price increases.

“It would be fantastic if it was even lower, but you know, …