An affordable food staple for many Canadians has seen an almost 50 per cent price hike at the check-out register as the cost for 2 kilograms of white rice has gone from $6.46 in June 2024 to $9.62 in June 2025 in just one year, according to Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index.

Throughout the year, the price of rice has fluctuated, reaching a peak of $10.20 in March.

“Rice has been known to be consumed by people at the lower income brackets, and for them, it’s a significant portion,” said Suki Badh, an economics professor at Douglas College.

“It’s another hindrance to affordability in Canada.”

The figures are based on monthly CPIs for the average retail price of select products, including white rice. StatCan cautioned that factors such as product rotation, quality and quantity chan

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