Income & Socio-Economics
People living with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) experience significantly greater financial hardship and food insecurity than the general population. Across Canada, 3.8% of people with MCS report having no income at all, and nearly 65% earn less than $40,000 a year, compared to 52% of the general population. Only 8% of people with MCS earn over $80,000, half the rate seen in the general population (16%). About 41% live below the poverty line (earning under $20,000 annually), compared to 26% of Canadians overall.
People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) have lower income levels compared to the general population. Only 8% earn more than $80,000 a year, compared to 16% overall. Nearly 65% of this population earn less than $40,000, compared to 52% in the general population, and about 41% live below the poverty line (under $20,000), compared to 26% of others. Data sourced from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2020
In Quebec, the pattern is similar. Nearly 71% of Quebecers with MCS earn less than $40,000, compared to 59% of the general population, and 43% live below the poverty line, compared to 31% of the general population.
Quebecers with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) have lower income levels than the general population. Nearly 71% of this population earn less than $40,000 a year, compared to 59% of the general population, and about 43% live below the poverty line (under $20,000), versus 31% of the general population in Quebec. Data sourced from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2020
People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) are more likely to experience food insecurity. About 26% reported losing weight because they couldn’t afford enough food, compared to 13% of the general population, showing the financial and health challenges faced by those living with MCS. Data sourced from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2020
Data sourced from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2020
Low income contributes to a high rate of food insecurity among people with MCS. They are about three times more likely to experience severe food insecurity and four times more likely to be unable to afford balanced meals compared to the general population. Alarmingly, 26% of people with MCS report losing weight due to insufficient funds for food, a rate twice that of other Canadians (13%).
These figures highlight the serious economic and nutritional challenges faced by people with MCS, underscoring the need for greater social and health support for this vulnerable group.