About the National School Food Program
The Government of Canada is committed to giving children and youth the best possible start in life. A key part of this is making sure that children and youth have the healthy food they need to grow, play and learn.
This is why the Government is working with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners and stakeholders to create a National School Food Program. This program will build on existing school food programs across the country and allow more children and youth to have healthy meals and snacks at school. This program is a part of the Government’s strategy to make life more affordable for the Canadians most affected by rising prices, including families.
The Government of Canada’s school food commitments
The 2021 mandate letters for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food include a commitment to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners and stakeholders to develop a national school food policy and work toward a national school food program. Since then, the government has worked to lay the foundation for this policy and program.
The Government of Canada has committed $1 billion of federal funding over 5 years through Budget 2024 to develop a National School Food Program. This funding will allow for:
- bilateral funding agreements with provinces and territories
- funding for school food initiatives on First Nations reserves and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Modern Treaty and Self-government Agreement Holders
- funding for eligible Indigenous partners to carry out engagement and capacity-building activities related to school food
This federal funding adds to other funding for school food programs, including from:
- provinces and territories
- Indigenous communities
- charities and civil society organizations
The Government of Canada will build on these existing efforts by working collaboratively with its partners to increase access to school meals for up to 400,000 additional children each year.
This work is being guided by the National School Food Policy. The Policy outlines the federal government’s vision for the National School Food Program, as well as the guiding principles and key objectives that will support progress towards this vision.
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