Halifax woman with celiac disease frustrated by rising cost of gluten-free foods

A Halifax woman who has celiac disease says inflation is forcing her to change her diet as the cost of gluten-free food skyrockets.

Deanna Graham was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2009, after becoming ill while baking bread from scratch in a café every day.

"There was a whole shift in my mind about, 'OK, this is my new life, this is how I have to adapt. I'm just going to have to do it because I don't want to be sick anymore,'" Graham said.

She changed her diet, and adapted to the different food options that were already "incredibly expensive" but, she said, the cost has become even more challenging.

"I was buying gluten-free bagels and some breads and some cereals and maybe some frozen pizzas, things like that — no longer because the price of those have increased," she said.

"The bread I was buying went up $3, the cereals $2 or $3, so now they're just not an option and it's more of a treat … it's already so expensive and to add those extra $2 or $3 per item really adds up."

Celiac Canada says about one per cent of the Canadian population has celiac disease, and gluten-free products cost between 150 and 500 per cent more than their gluten-containing equivalents.

In a survey conducted by the association last year, nearly 93 per cent of the 7,400 respondents who must eat gluten-free because of their disorder felt the cost of gluten-free food was more expensive than before the pandemic. 

More than a third said they have had to adjust their finances to be able to buy the groceries they need, and one per cent have had to turn to food banks.

"We've got parents skipping their meal to allow their child to eat gluten free and stay healthy, which is an awful trade off to have to make," said Julie Greene, the assistant executive director of Celiac Canada.

"And then of course, we do have some people who just can't afford it at all and they're eating gluten-containing food, which of course, is making them very sick."

The federal government's recently tabled budget includes a one-time grocery rebate for "low- and modest-income Canadians" that it says is meant to provide relief for Canadians as prices soar.

That rebate would be up to $153 per adult and $81 per child. Someone who is single could also receive an additional $81. Eligible seniors could receive $225.

But because gluten-free food costs so much more, Celiac Canada is calling for an increased rebate specifically for people with celiac disease in that income bracket.

The association is asking the federal government for a celiac rebate of up to $230 per adult and $122.50 per child, with an extra $122.50 for people who are single.

"The grocery rebate is a great idea to help with the high cost of food for low and modest income Canadians, but for people with celiac disease, the cost burden is just that much higher and we really need more help," Greene said.

The Canada Revenue Agency does allow people with celiac disease to claim "the incremental costs associated with buying gluten-free food products as a medical expense," its website says.

Those of us that have celiac, we don't really have a choice but to buy.- Deanna Graham, Halifax resident who has celiac disease

But the process is complicated, Graham said.

People must keep track of what gluten-free purchases they make throughout the year, compare each item to its gluten-containing equivalent and then claim the difference.

"A lot of people say it's not worth it. I am one of those people. It's just not — to save all the receipts throughout the year, just to have a little bit of tax taken off at the end," Graham said.

Greene agrees.

"It's just very unworkable for the average person. Like 80 per cent of our community says it's just too burdensome," Greene said.

"You spend all this time doing it and you might only get $30 back or $100 back and you've got to keep all your receipts and it's extremely cumbersome."

Instead, Celiac Canada has been lobbying for a flat tax credit of $1,000, on top of the latest grocery rebate.

"The rising cost of living is a challenge for many Canadians and that is why our government is providing targeted, fiscally responsible, and compassionate support for those who need it most through the one-time grocery rebate," said Adrienne Vaupshas, press secretary for Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, in an emailed response to The Canadian Press last month.

Still, Graham said more needs to be done.

"Everyone's suffering. There's nobody that I've talked to that hasn't talked about the price of groceries and how we're food insecure and it's affecting everybody," she said.

"Those of us that have celiac, we don't really have a choice but to buy … because it is an autoimmune disease, I feel there should be some type of ease up in the price."