Raise P.E.I. wages, says working mother

A Charlottetown woman struggling to feed herself and her 16-year-old son says wages in the province need to increase to offset higher food costs.

Eloine Razali said her own struggles started a couple of months ago when she left a job managing a coffee shop because of stress. She's now working at a call centre, where her take-home pay is $700 less a month. Razali said she can no longer afford to buy fruit, milk or much meat, and regularly skips meals to make sure her son is getting enough.

Razali has lost 30 pounds in the last eight months.

"Hopefully, more people will get together and, you know, fight for proper nutrition," she said.

"It's not just single families though either. It's a husband and a wife both working with children that struggle."

Razali said she has heard the arguments that if people got their priorities straight they would be able to get by, but said she has met people who struggle despite focusing on all the right things.

"I think more people need to bind together and, I mean, even if it means protesting and writing letters to the government, more people need to speak out," said Razali.

Razali moved to the Island from Ontario 2 ½ years ago, and said she noticed immediately grocery prices are higher. She said bread and some produce items cost her twice as much on the Island as she used to pay in Ontario.

Razali grows some of her own food in her living room window. She has tried to get into a community garden space but has not been able to find one available. She said the city should consider converting more park space over to community gardens.