“It’s Not Just About Food…” : Refugees and the Struggle for Food Security in Kitchener-Waterloo
Zhenzhong Si
Zhenzhong Si is the Research Manager of the MiFOOD Network, a collaborative initiative based at the Balsillie School of International Affairs that explores the intersections of migration and food security in the Global South. He grew up in a rural area of central China and migrated to Canada in 2010 to pursue a PhD in Geography at the University of Waterloo. Over the past 15 years, he has been involved in multiple international research projects focused on food security, sustainable food systems, and rural development in both China and Canada. His research addresses topics such as agroecology, migrant food insecurity, and the impacts of COVID-19 on urban food systems. He enjoys growing tomatoes and herbs on his balcony in Kitchener.
When people think of migration, especially to advanced economies like Canada, they often imagine a path toward opportunity and better living conditions. But for many refugees resettled in Canada, the journey doesn’t end at landing. Instead, they find themselves navigating a new set of challenges, particularly when it comes to something as fundamental as food. Accessing food often turns out to be more complicated than just getting groceries from Food Basics or Sobey’s. This was especially the case during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our study of refugee households in Kitchener-Waterloo in 2022 reveals the complex reality facing refugee groups during the pandemic. The study was part of a broader project that investigates the food insecurity consequences of COVID-19 public health measures on refugees and migrants in Canada, South Africa and Ecuador. Food security here refers to having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious and culturally appropriate food to live a healthy and active life. It was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and conducted by the MiFOOD team based at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo. The study in Canada involved 85 questionnaire surveys, 37 in-depth interviews, and two Photovoice studies (where participants use photos they take themselves to share their experiences, perspectives and stories) with refugees from Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan living in Kitchener-Waterloo.
While more than half of the people we surveyed said that moving to Canada made it easier for their families to get enough food, the full story is more complicated. Many refugees arrive with professional experience and education, but those qualifications are often not recognized in Canada. As a result, they end up working in low-paying and unstable jobs such as cooking, cleaning, or driving for Uber. Very few are able to find higher-paid jobs such as in fields like business, finance, or administration.
Because so many refugees end up in low-paying jobs, it’s hard for them to cover everyday costs like food. This makes it even more difficult for them to improve their financial situation or social standing. Many refugees struggle to afford stable housing or reliable transportation, both of which are essential for daily life.
Rising housing costs, particularly during the pandemic, have made life even harder for many refugees. It adds pressure to their already tight budgets and makes it more difficult to afford enough food. Finding a place to live is often challenging because many of them don’t have formal job records or income documents, and some families are large in size. Those living in subsidized or temporary housing often face more stress and have less control over their living environment. It’s also common for them to have limited access to kitchens, to move frequently, or to live in overcrowded conditions. All of these make it harder to cook and store food properly.
Despite these many challenges they face, most refugees in our study said that moving to Kitchener-Waterloo significantly improved their household food security and the variety of food they could eat. Yet, this improvement often meant access to a wider range of general or processed foods, not necessarily the traditional ingredients from their home countries. Many refugees have had to adjust their diets to fit what’s available locally, substituting traditional meals with more accessible options. Some even had to travel all the way to Toronto just to find key ingredients essential to their traditional diets.
For those without a car, getting to a store that sells familiar ingredients becomes a real barrier, because most ethnic food stores are located beyond walking distance. As one Afghan refugee said, “…for the newcomers, it is challenging to do their groceries without having a car. Sometimes, some items are pretty heavy, so you say ‘ok I don’t want this one’. You start ignoring, and you start saying that if I cannot carry it, I cannot have it.”
The COVID-19 pandemic changed refugees’ usage of different food sources as well, especially food banks and religious institutions, in Kitchener-Waterloo. More than 71% of respondents used food banks more often during the pandemic than before. People also visited grocery stores less frequently or stopped their usual trips to farmers’ markets. It also became harder to share food within the community. With less access to transportation and more restrictions in place, getting around was difficult. As a consequence, the social routines of many refugees were disrupted, leading to isolation and increased feelings of loneliness and stress.
Women in refugee households faced even greater pressure during the pandemic. They faced an increased burden of domestic responsibilities and domestic work due to school closures and hygienic concerns. One woman described it this way: “We had to take all the burden for cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the children and everyone else in the house. I had to make sure that everyone was eating on time and enough, sleeping on time, washing their hands, and taking all other important steps like wearing a mask.” In some cases, when male family members lost their jobs, the stress in the household intensified, leading to a rise in domestic violence.
Government programs like the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) greatly eased the financial stress of many during the pandemic. However, the program had limited benefits for the refugee community. One of the main barriers was the eligibility requirement that recipients had to have earned at least CAD $5,000 in 2019 or within the previous 12 months. Most refugees could not meet the criteria due to limited job opportunities. Statistics show that after most of these support programs ended in 2023, food insecurity in Canada increased significantly, as families struggled to cope with rising food prices and fewer financial resources.
What can be done? The study tells us that short-term food assistance is not enough. We need long-term solutions, such as permanent income supports, fair labour policies, affordable housing, and support for culturally appropriate food access. Development policies and government programs should focus on helping refugees find good jobs by recognizing the skills and work experience they bring from their home countries. It’s also important to give them better access to training and education, so they can build new skills and improve their chances of finding stable jobs. These steps can help reduce financial stress and support refugee families in accessing enough healthy food that aligns with their traditional diets.
In addition, investments in affordable housing are critical because having a safe and stable place to live allows families to prepare healthy meals and plan meals more effectively. Improving public transportation can help families who don’t own a car reach grocery stores that sell the foods they need.
Making sure refugees can find and afford culturally appropriate food is a key part of food security, especially in smaller cities like Kitchener-Waterloo. It could be supported by funding ethnic food retailers, community gardens or food banks that offer foods from different cultures. Policies around food access should also be fair and inclusive, so that all migrants, regardless of their origin or status, can access safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food. Want to dig deeper? Check out Papers No. 33 and No. 36 from the MiFOOD Paper Series and the MiFOOD Research Brief for more detailed discussions.
Acknowledgments
This study was conducted by the MiFOOD team, including Zack Ahmed, Mercedes Eguiguren, Neil Arya, Sujata Ramachandran, Zhenzhong Si and Jonathan Crush, at the Balsillie School of International Affairs based in Waterloo.