Saskatchewan. residents take out loans, delay paying bills to keep up with inflation: survey

Saskatoon mom Tammy Gale worries about having healthy food for her family as prices soar.

“Everyday shopping is getting more and more expensive,” Gale said.

“Regular things like cauliflower and broccoli have gone up so much and it’s been hard to find them and get them at a good price.”

Gale cooks more meals, checks flyers for the latest deals and drives less.

Many Saskatchewan residents are feeling the pinch in prices at the grocery store and at the pump.

A new survey has found around seven in 10 respondents worry about their ability to afford everything they need in the next six months.

“That’s a pretty large proportion of Saskatchewan residents who are sounding the alarm bells,” said Canadian Center for Applied and Social Research (CHASR) director Jason Disano.

In partnership with CBC Saskatchewan, CHASR at the University of Saskatchewan surveyed 400 people from June 1-10. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9%, 19 times out of 20.

The survey found that people cope with inflation by changing their transportation habits, cutting back on leisure activities and hobbies, paying down on their homes or moving to cheaper accommodation and using banks food and community refrigerators.

Young people disproportionately affected

The survey found that people aged 18 to 34 disproportionately feel the impact of high inflation.

They are more likely than any other age group to change their vacation plans, take out a loan, delay paying their bills, find another job and sell their personal possessions.

“What we find is that for young people who are just getting settled, entering the workforce, buying a house, inflation adds more problems,” Disano said.

Jessi Bolton, 19, who works at a Saskatoon truck company, said her grocery bills had doubled.

“I work nine to five, but it’s hard to keep up,” she said.

Premier Scott Moe has hinted at the possibility of giving residents a consumer rebate if natural resource prices remain high.

“We would be looking at ways to pay that back one way or another, maybe through debt reduction, maybe through a few bucks to the people of Saskatchewan,” he said. said Moe on Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland recently announced $8.9 billion in financial support to help Canadians deal with rising inflation.