National School Food Program – 2025 to 2027 Action Plan - Yukon

Note: This action plan has been re-formatted to meet accessibility requirements of Government of Canada webpages.

On this page

• List of abbreviations
• Section 1 – Introduction/overview
• Section 2 – Implementation plan
• Section 3 – Indicators, targets and expected results
• Section 4 – Expenditures
• Section 5 – Indigenous collaboration
• Section 6 – Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs)
• Section 7 – Reporting
• Appendix A: Yukon’s Rural and Urban School Kitchen Spaces Assessment Project final report
• Appendix B: National School Food Policy principles summary table
• Appendix C: Common Reporting Indicators Table
• Appendix D: Financial Summary Table

List of abbreviations

CSFY

Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon

FNSB

Yukon First Nation School Board

OLMCs

Official Language Minority Communities

SFACSS

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School

YG

Government of Yukon

YFNED

Yukon First Nation Education Directorate

YFFLA

Yukon Food for Learning Association

Section 1 - Introduction/overview

The Yukon supports the principles and objectives in the National School Food Policy. At this juncture, there is no Yukon-specific School Food Policy, nor a school food program at the territorial level. There is a Yukon School Nutrition Policy (2008), but this is primarily focused on ensuring food safety and nutritional promotion, rather than programming. Currently, school food programs in Yukon schools are funded through a combination of funding from the Government of Yukon (YG) and from Indigenous Services Canada's Jordan's Principle. Two non-profit organizations administer the bulk of funding for school food in the Yukon.

All 33 schools and education centres (6,212 students as of spring 2025) in the Yukon offer some level of food programming; however, food programs are not consistent across Yukon schools. The level of food provision in Yukon schools varies depending on many factors, including geography (urban vs. rural), level of staff resourcing allocated to school food (some schools have food teachers, others do not), school kitchen infrastructure and the number of Indigenous students. Most Indigenous students in the Yukon have access to food while at school through Jordan's Principle funding, which is administered by a non-profit organization, the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED). The costs associated with school food also vary widely, depending on the school and the geographic location.

The Yukon Food for Learning Association (YFFLA) is a non-profit organization that supports and promotes school-based food programming across the Yukon. YFFLA receives $137,000 in annual funding from the Government of Yukon, as well as additional funding from the Breakfast Club of Canada ($20,000), Global Change for Children ($5,000) and donations. YFFLA also runs the From the Ground Up, which is a fundraiser through which Yukon early learning centres and schools sell food bundles containing fresh vegetables and pantry products made and grown in the Yukon.

Yukon Food for Learning Association - School food grants

YFFLA provides grants to Yukon schools to support individual school food programs. These funds are fully subscribed every year, and the requests from schools far exceed the amount of funding available. For example, for the 2024 to 2025 school year, 16 schools requested a total of $153,609, but only $97,540 in grants were available. This left a shortfall of over $56,000, and six schools did not receive the full funding they requested. This budget was revisited in February 2025 by YFFLA, and two schools that were not fully funded were granted additional funds ($2,000 and less).

Between 2012 and 2019, the annual grant requests from schools were relatively stable, in the $130,000 to $135,000 range. In 2019 to 2020, with COVID-19 impacts and YFNED initiating its school nutrition programs, food grant requests dropped dramatically, reaching only $40,000 to $50,000 between 2020 and 2023. By the 2023 to 2024 school year, requests began to climb again, and by 2024 to 2025, requests surged to $153,609.

In 2023 to 2024, YFFLA funded 13 schools, with a total of $40,900 in grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 awarded. In 2024 to 2025, YFFLA has funded 16 schools, with a total of $97,540 in grants awarded. They ranged from $1,000 to $24,500 (average $6,096).

YFFLA school food grants can be used for purchasing goods or supplies that support the preparation of food for students in the schools. The funds cannot be used for equipment or wages. YFFLA accepts applications from schools at the beginning of each school year. Schools must provide details of what they are planning to use the funding for and how much they are requesting. Typically, schools use these grants for snacks and meals for children at school without food, rather than to run a full meal program. These applications are assessed by the Association's Board of Directors and awarded to the schools directly. Every school is eligible to apply for this fund, though not every school applies every year.

Yukon Food for Learning Association - School kitchen equipment grant

The school kitchen equipment grant is used to purchase kitchen equipment and small appliances for school food programs. YFFLA canvasses schools each year to determine their needs, purchase and deliver equipment to schools, and track what equipment is purchased. They provide schools with an order form where they can indicate what equipment they need. In past years, this has ranged from dishwashers and freezers to frying pans and cutlery.

The school kitchen equipment grant provides a total of $5,000 per year and is oversubscribed each year. It is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED)

The Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED) is a non-profit organization that works to improve educational outcomes for First Nations students in the Yukon. They receive funding from Jordan's Principle to provide healthy food to all Indigenous children aged 0 to 18 residing in the Yukon. YFNED's nutrition programs were highlighted in a 2024 report: School Food Programs in Canada: 15 Promising Cases.

YFNED's Urban Nutrition Program provides a school-based breakfast and lunch service for 1,096 Indigenous students attending 17 Whitehorse schools. They employ more than 20 cooks who operate out of schools. Several private catering businesses also supply meals. The funding for this program is provided by Jordan's Principle and is available in all Whitehorse schools.

YFNED's Rural Nutrition Program, also funded through Jordan's Principle, supports several rural First Nation communities in running their own nutrition programs, including breakfast and hot lunch at schools. YFNED assists with administration and funding proposals for each Yukon First Nation. For the 2024 to 2025 school year, the Rural Nutrition Program served 646 Indigenous students in 15 rural schools.

The recently announced changes to Jordan's Principle may have an impact on the provision of these services in future years, however at this point, it is unclear how these programs will be affected.

Gaps and challenges with current Yukon school food programs

Yukon school food programs face several challenges and gaps. Some schools struggle to offer universal meal programs due to space and staffing constraints. Many schools have insufficient staff resources and time for food preparation and grocery shopping. Many schools also rely on non-traditional spaces like classrooms or fire pits for food preparation due to insufficient kitchen facilities.

Many schools have limited kitchen infrastructure and lack tools such as industrial ovens, commercial dishwashers, and meat grinders. These schools are left reliant on home appliances, which results in a high frequency of appliance breakdowns with long and costly repair times. Many school kitchens also lack proper storage, which leads to cramped spaces, missing equipment, and vermin infestations. This results in food spoilage and contamination. The high cost of food and freight further exacerbates issues of vulnerability and instability in school food programming supply chains and food service provision.

For schools with food programs, some can provide a service to all or select (example, Indigenous) students free of cost, while others have a subsidized program in place with lower costs, and some charge the full cost to students.

The need for equitable and stigma-free food access is critical for all students. Further, growing enrolment as well as faith and health-based dietary restrictions increase the complexity of meeting the food needs of all students.

Table 1: The Government of Yukon's annual investment in school food programming in fiscal year 2023 to 2024

Item	Amount
One-time investment to enhance existing school food programs Footnote 1	$500,000
Operational Transfer Payment Agreement for the YFFLA	$132,000
School kitchen equipment Transfer Payment Agreement to YFFLA	$5,000
Total	$637,000

Table 2: The Government of Yukon's annual investment in school food programming in upcoming fiscal years

Item	2024 to 2025	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Operational Transfer Payment Agreement for YFFLA	$132,000	$132,000	$132,000
School kitchen equipment Transfer Payment Agreement to YFFLA	$5,000	$5,000	$5,000
Total	$137,000	$137,000	$137,000

Section 2 - Implementation plan

A local architecture firm was contracted by the Yukon Food for Learning Association to provide a comprehensive report on the state of kitchen infrastructure in all Yukon schools. The final report was received in spring 2025 and indicates that significant infrastructure improvements are required in most Yukon school kitchens. The report (attached as Appendix A) identified essential kitchen equipment required to support a full-service meal program and room data sheets to ensure optimal functionality. This report has identified gaps in Yukon school kitchen infrastructure and will be a useful resource for developing future kitchen improvement work plans.

In Years 2 and 3, the Yukon will work to gather more accurate data and information on factors like the number of meals served in schools, what kinds of meals they are, and the number of students fed. One of the primary tasks of the project manager (to be hired) will be to work with schools, school boards, and our partners to create efficient and simple methods for information-gathering.

Primary years 2 and 3 activities

Years 2 and 3 of the National School Food Program implementation will involve partnerships with the two main non-profit organizations that are current leaders in Yukon school food provision: the Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED) and the Yukon Food for Learning Association (YFFLA) to deliver food programs in schools. Yukon will also work to continue information gathering to establish a baseline for Yukon schools, dedicating a Department of Education staff member to support the implementation and planning of the school food program.

The Yukon will also continue working closely with our schools, school boards and partners to ensure that we have a clear understanding of programming needs and to ensure that school food plans reflect the community.

 These years will focus on feeding more students, improving infrastructure, and future planning and evaluation for school food in the Yukon.

Feeding more students

In partnership with the YFNED, the Yukon will pilot a universal hot lunch program in six to ten schools starting in fall 2025, divided between rural and urban schools. The National School Food Program funding will be used to ensure that all students in the pilot schools have daily access to a healthy, hot lunch. YFNED has expertise and experience delivering meals to Yukon's Indigenous students and has a presence in most Yukon schools.

By launching a pilot hot lunch program, the Yukon will be able to use the National School Food Program funding to target the schools with the highest need while working within the capacity of our partners and ensuring that all school boards and authorities are included.

 This pilot will provide the Yukon with information and data that will be used to inform planning and implementation for future-years' school food programming, and it will also provide data to report on indicators.

Table 3: Example pilot universal hot lunch program in Yukon schools

SchoolFootnote 2	Total* Students	Indigenous Students*	Non-Indigenous Students*	Location Category**	School Authority	$/student	Daily $/school	$ per year
Tantalus Community School	93	77	16	R	EDU	$9.00	$837.00	$163,215.00
Del Van Gorder School	53	24	29	R	EDU	$9.00	$477.00	$93,015.00
Ghùch Tlâ Community School	61	49	12	R	FNSB	$9.00	$549.00	$107,055.00
Johnson Elementary School	110	62	48	R	FNSB	$9.00	$990.00	$193,050.00
Selkirk Elementary School	375	73	302	U	EDU	$9.00	$3,375.00	$658,125.00
Takhini Elementary School	157	64	93	U	FNSB	$9.00	$1,413.00	$275,535.00
Total	849	349	500	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,641.00	$1,489,995.00

• *Enrolment data current as of June 2, 2025
• **R - Rural, U - Urban

Potential schools were chosen for the pilot program in conversation with YFNED and YFFLA based on schools with high student need, and those where there was also capacity to deliver programming. Pilot schools already receive services through YFNED's Jordan's Principle funded nutrition programs for their Indigenous students.

The pilot hot lunch program will expand the work that YFNED is already doing in schools for Indigenous students through their Rural and Urban Nutrition Programs, by providing the funding to feed every student in the school. Given that future funding for Jordan's Principle is uncertain, there may be a need to fund Indigenous students who are deemed ineligible under Jordan's Principle in 2025 to 2026.

Schools and school boards will be consulted prior to finalizing the pilot schools. Pilot schools will be finalized as the Government of Yukon (YG) and YFNED complete negotiations on a Transfer Payment Agreement for this project and pilot schools confirm their ability to participate.

The Year 2 activities for the pilot school food program will start once the action plan is approved, the pilot schools are finalized, the transfer payment agreement is signed, and funds begin to flow to YFNED (estimated to be in fall 2025). These activities will continue throughout the remainder of the 2025 to 2026 school year and into Year 3 and the 2026 to 2027 school year.

The Yukon Food for Learning Association currently has two transfer payment agreements with the Government of Yukon: one to which schools can apply for funding to purchase food and supplies to support the preparation of food for students; and another for the purchase of small kitchen equipment.

We will be continuing this partnership by increasing the funding of their transfer payment agreements, so that schools that are not chosen to take part in the pilot lunch program or larger scale kitchen infrastructure improvements are still able to benefit from the National School Food Program.

Schools can apply for funding to enhance their existing school food programs and will be more likely to receive the full amount of their funding requests, ensuring that every student has access to nutritious food while at school.

It is anticipated that the Yukon Food for Learning Association will be able to begin their Year 2 activities once the action plan is approved and they sign a transfer payment agreement with the Government of Yukon for both the school food grants and the small kitchen supplies. In past years, schools typically applied for this funding at the beginning of the school year, with the funding awarded later in the fall and schools reporting back in the spring, near the end of the school year. This timeline is not expected to change, unless there are significant delays with the approval of the action plan and/or transfer payment agreement.

Their Year 3 activities should follow this same anticipated timing of applications at the beginning of the year, with awards later in the fall, and reporting in the spring.

The Yukon has one francophone school board, the Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon (CSFY), which oversees two urban schools and one rural program. As these schools have low numbers of Indigenous students and are not served by YFNED, an alternative funding model will be established in partnership with the CSFY to enhance food programs available at these schools.

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School (SFACSS) has experienced difficulties with school food provision, with the average meal cost approaching $15 per student. The quality of the food available is also below that of other schools, with much of the offerings being frozen and deep-fried, rather than freshly prepared. Compared to other Yukon schools, they have a lower percentage of Indigenous students and a larger percentage of newcomers to Canada, which means that YFNED's food programs are not as prevalent in the school. The Department of Education plans to carve out a portion of the National School Food Program funding to help to improve the provision of food in this school and support more equitable food programs across Whitehorse high schools.

Yukon anticipates signing transfer payment agreements with CSFY and SFACSS in fall 2025, so that they can begin to work on their school food program based on work plans to be provided.

These projects will receive all of their funding in Year 2 to allow them to purchase any materials necessary, address startup costs and help manage cash flow for Yukon and the amount carried over to Year 3. Annual reporting will be required from CSFY and SFACSS.

The Yukon First Nation School Board (FNSB) will not be receiving direct funding at this phase of the program. Most of the schools chosen to participate in the pilot hot lunch programs are a part of the FNSB and will be supported this way. Schools that are not part of the pilot program will be able to apply for the YFFLA school food and kitchen supplies grants.

Improving infrastructure

The YFFLA's transfer payment agreement for school kitchen equipment will be increased so that schools can apply for more funding for small equipment upgrades (pans, utensils, toasters). Many schools have reported that their kitchens are lacking critical appliances and tools, and this funding will help them prepare food for students safely and efficiently.

The Department of Education will develop guidelines for schools to follow regarding what equipment and upgrades can be procured by schools and school boards for their kitchens and what will be managed by the school operations branch. School boards will have the option to manage their own upgrades on a reimbursement model. Based on the results of the infrastructure study, the Yukon will also explore options such as bulk-purchasing certain appliances for distribution to schools.

Larger scale infrastructure upgrades to school kitchens will be coordinated by the Department of Education project manager, working closely with the school operations branch in education. This work will aim to increase the food preparation capacity at schools. Year 2 will involve identifying and planning for upgrades, including contracting for planning updates for selected school(s). Updates/renovations will begin in Year 3 for the selected school(s), based on the planning work undertaken in Year 2. It is anticipated that one or two schools could receive these larger scale upgrades, to be finalized once planning and design begins.

Future planning and evaluation

In addition to our partnerships with YFNED and YFFLA, the Department of Education will use some funds to hire a project manager to support the program. Yukon does not anticipate that there will be challenges in filling the position. Should challenges occur, the Yukon will look at assigning a project manager through internal accommodation processes.

This position will:

• work with partners (such as, YFNED, YFFLA) on financial payment and reporting agreements
• work with the department's Operations Unit on school infrastructure improvements
• work with the department's Performance and Analytics unit to improve data and evaluation
• lead planning work on future food programming in the territory, including advising on school food-related policy and guideline development

Data will be collected on various aspects of the pilot hot lunch program, the increased Yukon Food for Learning Association school grants and the infrastructure funds. This will be done via monitoring information such as school attendance rates, and through a series of surveys of schools ranking the impact of the various changes to support reporting and policy development.

Yukon will also work with our partners to gather information on the use of Yukon-grown produce in school food programs to better understand if and how the procurement of locally grown food is impacted by the increased funding for school food programs. This will be part of our regular information gathering for reporting. We hope to understand how local food is currently being used in school food programs, and if/how the amount of locally grown food can be increased. We will also explore options for increasing knowledge and awareness of local food production among the schools.

The Yukon will undertake policy development and planning work to create alignment for food programming in Yukon schools, with the aim of moving towards consistent delivery and payment models across all school authorities (Yukon Education Authority schools, administered by the Department of Education; First Nation School Board; and Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon). This work will aim to develop a framework for a food program beyond Year 3 of the National School Food Program, using the lessons learned from the delivery of the pilot program and data collected in Years 1 to 3.

Yukon will be exploring several models for food program delivery, by using data collection and collaborating with partners to determine what type of program will deliver the most equitable program for Yukon students.

Other policy work will include developing Healthy Food Guidelines for school food programs to follow, which will help to ensure that the food delivered is nutritious and culturally appropriate. These guidelines will build on our work with our partners and draw from research on school food to provide guidance that is evidence-based and respects the autonomy of school communities. This work is anticipated to be complete by the end of Year 3.

The bulk of the policy work in Year 2 will be research, engagement and planning. Year 3 policy work will focus on drafting, finalizing and introducing any new policies or programming.

Currently, Yukon First Nation Education Directorate works closely with Yukon First Nation governments on the delivery of school food programs for Indigenous students, particularly in rural schools. While respecting this partnership, the Department of Education will engage with Yukon First Nations to ensure that First Nations values and priorities are incorporated into policy, planning, and evaluation work.

Section 3 - Indicators, targets and expected results

The Yukon is committed to reporting annually to Canada, no later than October 1 of each year, on common indicators as outlined below, along with targets to be reached by June 2026 and by June 2027. A complete common indicators table in Appendix C will be appended to annual reports as an annex. The Yukon's reporting on these indicators contributes to Canada's public reporting to Canadians.

Indicators

• Number of territory-operated schools within the Yukon
• Number of school-aged children attending Yukon-operated schools
• Yukon-operated schools offering school food programming*
• Number of children and youth participating in school food programming by school or number of meals served by school through school food programs*
• Number of Yukon-operated schools offering i) breakfast program; ii) lunch program; iii) snack program; iv) "other" school food program*
• Number of Yukon-operated schools offering school food programs that accommodate diverse dietary needs (such as allergy-aware, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, etc.)
• Number of school-aged children who participate in school food programming in Yukon schools by type of program offered: i) breakfast program; ii) lunch program; iii) snack program; iv) "other" school food program
• Number of Yukon-operated schools that offer school food programming that is universal*
• Number Yukon-operated schools that are offering new and/or enhanced school food programming (for example, programming was not offered the prior school year*)
• Number of school-aged children participating in Yukon-operated schools offering new and/or enhanced school food programming
• Percentage of food purchases (by dollar value) from Yukon-based food providers (farmers, hunters, fishers, and/or trappers)

Impacts

• Description of kitchen upgrades conducted
• School administrators' assessment of food program effect on the school community
• School attendance rates
  • Urban
  • Rural
• Student attendance - average absent days
  • Urban
  • Rural

*Name of schools and their postal codes to be provided

Section 4 - Expenditures

Table 4: Expenditures - Payment from Canada and carryover

Item Description	2024 to 2025	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Payments from Canada	$2,259,311.00	$2,548,403.00	$2,548,403.00
Carryover from previous years*	N/A	$2,259,311.00	$762,929.15
Total	$2,259,311.00	$4,807,714.00	$3,311,332.15

Notes:

• * 100% carryover from 2024 to 2025 toward fiscal year 2025 to 2026
• * 30% carryover allowed from 2025 to 2026 towards fiscal year 2026 to 2027 ($764,520)

Table 4.1: Expenditures - Funding allocation to Pilot Hot Lunch Program

Item description	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Food	$1,489,995.00	$1,534,694.85
Cooks' wages	$683,547.10	$704,053.51
Freight	$50,000.00	$51,500.00
Administration (10%)	$222,354.21	$229,024.84
Storage & kitchen rental	$134,601.54	$12,500.00
Training	$24,000.00	$9,600.00
Materials & Supplies	$192,287.00	$36,500.00
Pilot Hot Lunch Program Subtotal	$2,796,784.85	$2,577,873.20

Table 4.2: Expenditures - Funding allocation to Francophone and Catholic schools

Item Description	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon (CSFY)	$400,000.00	N/A
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School (SFACSS)	$400,000.00	N/A

Table 4.3: Expenditures - Funding allocation to Yukon Food for Learning (YFFLA)

Item Description	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Kitchen supplies	$10,000.00	$10,000.00
School food grants	$200,000.00	$150,000.00
Yukon Food for Learning (YFFLA) Subtotal	$210,000.00	$160,000.00

Table 4.4: Expenditures - Funding allocation to infrastructure, project delivery and policy development

Item Description	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Infrastructure Upgrades	$100,000.00	$435,458.95
Project manager, Planning, reporting & policy work	$138,000.00	$138,000.00

Table 4.5: Total expenditures

Item Description	2024 to 2025	2025 to 2026	2026 to 2027
Total Expenditures	N/A	$4,044,784.85	$3,311,332.15
Balance	$2,259,311.00	$762,929.15	$0.00

Section 5 - Indigenous collaboration

The Future of School Food Programs working group has been meeting since 2022 to identify areas for improvement in the delivery of school food programs in the Yukon and to propose options for implementing a universal school food program in the Yukon.

The group is chaired by the YFFLA. The working group includes members representing:

• YFFLA
• Yukon Department of Education (including department officials, teachers, and administrators) Yukon Department of Health and Social Services (Health Promotion unit and Environmental Health Services)
• Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources (Agriculture)
• YFNED
• Liard First Nation
• Kluane First Nation
• Champagne and Aishihik First Nations
• Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
• Yukon Food Security Network
• School council members

Since the establishment of this group in 2022, there have been two callouts to all Yukon School Council members and all Yukon First Nations to join the working group. The most recent callout occurred following the federal government's announcement of funding for the National School Food Program. The work of this group will continue through Years 1, 2 and 3 and into the future, with participation and financial support from the Government of Yukon.

The partnership with the YFNED to pilot a hot lunch program in Years 2 and 3 in 6 to 10 Yukon schools will enhance school food programming that ensures accessible, culturally appropriate programming for Indigenous students attending Yukon schools.

The YFNED, through its Nutrition Program, is committed to promoting healthy traditional food practices such as seasonal harvesting, preservation, and meal preparation.

First Nations Education Commission was established by the Council of Yukon First Nations to provide support, advice, and recommendations to participating Yukon First Nations with respect to education matters relating to their communities. Department of Education officials and the First Nations Education Commission meet at least quarterly; school food programming was on the January 2025 agenda. Moving forward, the Commission will continue to be an important partner in setting overall food priorities with the Department of Education. The First Nations Education Commission and Yukon First Nations will be engaged regularly along the decision points of the National School Food Program.

Currently, Yukon First Nation Education Directorate works closely with Yukon First Nation governments on the delivery of school food programs for Indigenous students, particularly in rural schools. While respecting this partnership, the Department of Education will engage with Yukon First Nations to ensure that First Nations values and priorities are incorporated into policy, planning, and evaluation work.

The Department of Education has met with the Council of Yukon First Nations specifically to discuss the National School Food Program plans and has met with several Yukon First Nations who have requested a discussion.

As the department continues to work on the National School Food Program, it will be important to continue to work with the above-mentioned partners to share progress and gather feedback during the regular meetings that take place throughout the year. As work such as the Healthy Food Guidelines and other policy work progress, the Department of Education will seek input and feedback from these partners.

Section 6 - Official language minority communities (OLMCs)

The Government of Yukon is committed to ensuring that the diverse needs of its Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) are reflected in its school food programming. This commitment is reflected in the ongoing collaboration with the Commission scolaire francophone du Yukon (CSFY), the Yukon's Francophone school board.

The CSFY oversees two urban schools and one rural program, providing education to a community of students who speak French as their first language. The Yukon recognizes the unique cultural and linguistic needs of these communities and is dedicated to ensuring that the rollout of the National School Food Program is inclusive and accessible to all students, including those in Francophone schools.

Given that CSFY schools have low numbers of Indigenous students and are not currently served by YFNED's Nutrition Program, the Government of Yukon is working with the CSFY to establish an alternative funding model. This model will enhance the food programs available to Francophone students, ensuring they receive nutritious meals that support their well-being and learning. Outreach and ongoing engagement with the CSFY are crucial to understanding the specific needs of these students. By directly involving the CSFY in the planning and implementation process, the Government of Yukon will ensure that the National School Food Program is tailored to meet the needs of Official Language Minority Communities attending schools across the territory.

These consultations and planned engagements will inform the accessibility and success of the program, creating a food program that is not only culturally responsive but also equitable for all Yukon students, regardless of their linguistic or cultural background. Preliminary meetings between the CSFY and Department of Education officials on the school food program took place in early 2025, and again in June 2025, and we continue to discuss the enhancement of school food programs at the CSFY schools.

Section 7 - Reporting

The Yukon commits to sharing an annual report and audited financial statement with Canada for each of the two fiscal years no later than October 1, 2026, and October 1, 2027, outlining the investments and results of the previous fiscal year. The annual report will show the results attributable to the funding provided by Canada under the Agreement, including:

• Results for common indicators as set out in Section 3 of the Action Plan, for each year.
• Narrative description of the activities, expenditure, and results, as set out in Section 2 of the Action Plan, for each fiscal year.
• Narrative description of consultation processes with Indigenous peoples, official language minority communities, as well as parents, students, and stakeholders.

The Yukon commits to continuing to work together with Canada to improve data collection and dissemination on key school food indicators, including exploring the collection of outcomes-based (in contrast to reach-based) indicators to measure the broader impact of school food programming on areas such as academic performance, attendance rates, mental or physical wellbeing, etc. This includes, but is not limited to, sharing interim data for common indicators as available (for example, quarterly, semi-annually, etc.).

Appendix A: Yukon's Rural and Urban School Kitchen Spaces Assessment Project final report

The Yukon's Rural and Urban School Kitchen Spaces Assessment Project cannot be uploaded on this page due to its length. To obtain a copy, please contact us at the National School Food Program inbox: EDSC.PNAS-NSFP.ESDC@esdc-edsc.gc.ca.

Appendix B: National School Food Policy Principles summary table^{Footnote 3}

Table 5: National School Food Policy principles summary  - Fiscal year 2025 to 2026

National School Food Policy Principle	Initiative Name(s)	Proposed Activity and expected impacts	Targets	Canada & Yukon Investment	Total Investment
Accessibility	Pilot hot lunch program	Pilot universal food to 6 to 10 schools to gather data and expand capacity while feeding more students.	All students in pilot schools have access to hot lunch	Government of Canada: $2,796,784.85	$2,796,784.85
Health Promoting	1. YFFLA School Food Grants 2. Healthy Food Guidelines	1. Increase the amount of funding available for school food grants 2. Policy works to create Healthy Food Guidelines for school food providers.	1. Schools can feed more students. 2. Engagement with partners and draft policy begun.	1. Government of Canada: $200,000 Government of Yukon: $132,000 2. See Project manager under accountable	1. $332,000 2. See Project Manager under accountable
Inclusive	CSFY and St. Francis food grants	Specific funding for the Francophone school board and the high school with the current highest need and food costs.	All high school students have access to affordable lunches.	Government of Canada: $800,000	$800,000
Flexible	YFFLA School Food Grants	Allow schools to access funding to ensure that their food programs suit their needs.	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting
Accountable	Project manager	Funding for data gathering and project management	Data has begun to be gathered and analyzed. Agreements with partners are in place and policy work on the school food program continues	Government of Canada: $138,000	$138,000
Sustainable	School Kitchen Infrastructure improvements and kitchen supplies	Upgrades to kitchen infrastructure in Yukon schools and grants for the purchase of kitchen supplies.	Schools have been able to access small kitchen supply funding. YG has completed necessary improvements to some schools.	Government of Canada: $110,000 Government of Yukon: $5,000	$115,000

Table 5.1: National School Food Policy principles summary - Fiscal year 2026 to 2027

National School Food Policy Principle	Initiative Name(s)	Proposed Activity and expected impacts	Targets	Canada & Yukon Investment	Total Investment
Accessibility	Pilot hot lunch program	Pilot universal food to 6 to 10 schools to gather data and expand capacity while feeding more students.	All students in pilot schools have access to hot lunch	Government of Canada: $2,577,873.20	$2,577,873.20
Health Promoting	1. YFFLA School Food Grants 2. Healthy Food Guidelines	1.  Increase the amount of funding available for school food grants 2.  Policy works to create Healthy Food Guidelines for school food providers.	1. Schools can feed more students. 2. Engagement with partners and draft policy begun.	1.  Government of Canada: $150,000 2. Government of Yukon: $132,000	YFFLA: $282,000 Healthy Food Guidelines: *See Project manager
Inclusive	YFFLA School Food Grants	Increase the amount of funding available for school food grants	Schools can feed more students. Reduces barriers to school food for all students	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting
Flexible	YFFLA School Food Grants	Allow schools to access funding to ensure that their food programs suit their needs.	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting	*See YFFLA School Food Grants under health promoting
Accountable	Project manager	Funding for data gathering and project management	Data has begun to be gathered and analyzed. Agreements with partners are in place and policy work on the school food program continues	Government of Canada: $138,000	$138,000
Sustainable	School Kitchen Infrastructure improvements and kitchen supplies	Upgrades to kitchen infrastructure in Yukon schools and grants for the purchase of kitchen supplies.	Schools have been able to access small kitchen supply funding. YG has completed necessary improvements to some schools.	Government of Canada: $445,458.95 Government of Yukon: $5,000	$450,458.95

Appendix C: Common reporting indicators table

Table 6: School food common reporting indicators table - Fiscal year 2025 to 2026

Indicator	Baseline (for the previous school year/prior to federal funding)	Targets (to reach by end of June each school year)
Number of territory operated schools within the Yukon	33	33
Number of school-aged children attending Yukon-operated schools	6,212	TBD
Yukon-operated schools offering school food programming*	33	33
Number of children and youth participating in school food programming by school or number of meals served by school through school food programs*	Unknown	TBD
Number of Yukon-operated schools offering i) breakfast program; ii) lunch program; iii) snack program; iv) "other" school food program* Note: programs outlined may or may not be universal. Some programs are only available in an emergency, or for those in need. Programs open only to Indigenous students have not been included.	Breakfast: 16 Lunch: 17 Snack: 19	TBD
Number of Yukon-operated schools offering school food programs that accommodate diverse dietary needs (such as allergy-aware, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, etc.)	Unknown	TBD
Number of school-aged children who participate in school food programming in Yukon schools by type of program offered: i) breakfast program; ii) lunch program; iii) snack program; iv) "other" school food program	Unknown	TBD
Number of Yukon-operated schools that offer school food programming that is universal* Note: Defined as a breakfast or lunch or breakfast and lunch program that is universally available to all enrolled students.	18	20
Number Yukon-operated schools that are offering new and/or enhanced school food programming (for example, programming was not offered the prior school year*	Unknown	33
Number of school-aged children participating in Yukon-operated schools offering new and/or enhanced school food programming	Unknown	TBD
Percentage of food purchases (by dollar value) from Yukon-based food providers (farmers, hunters, fishers, and/or trappers)	Unknown	TBD
Description of kitchen upgrades conducted	Unknown	TBD
School administrators' assessment of food program effect on the school community	Unknown	TBD
School attendance rates Urban Rural	Unknown	TBD
Student attendance - average absent days Urban Rural	Unknown	TBD

Table 6.1: School food common reporting indicators table - Fiscal year 2026 to 2027

Indicator	Baseline (for the previous school year/prior to federal funding)	Targets (to reach by end of June each school year)
Number of territory operated schools within the Yukon	Unknown	TBD
Number of school-aged children attending Yukon-operated schools	Unknown	TBD
Yukon-operated schools offering school food programming*	Unknown	TBD
Number of children and youth participating in school food programming by school or number of meals served by school through school food programs*	Unknown	TBD
Number of Yukon-operated schools offering number of i) breakfast program; ii) lunch program; iii) snack program; iv) "other" school food program*	Unknown	TBD
Number of Yukon-operated schools offering school food programs that accommodate diverse dietary needs (such as allergy-aware, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, etc.)	Unknown	TBD
Number of school-aged children who participate in school food programming in Yukon schools by type of program offered: i) breakfast program; ii) lunch program; iii) snack program; iv) "other" school food program	Unknown	TBD
Number of Yukon-operated schools that offer school food programming that is universal*	Unknown	TBD
Number Yukon-operated schools that are offering new and/or enhanced school food programming (for example, programming was not offered the prior school year*	Unknown	TBD
Number of school-aged children participating in Yukon-operated schools offering new and/or enhanced school food programming	Unknown	TBD
Percentage of food purchases (by dollar value) from Yukon-based food providers (farmers, hunters, fishers, and/or trappers)	Unknown	TBD
Description of kitchen upgrades conducted	Unknown	TBD
School administrators' assessment of food program effect on the school community	Unknown	TBD
School attendance rates Urban Rural	Unknown	TBD
Student attendance - average absent days Urban Rural	Unknown	TBD

Appendix D: Financial summary table

Table 7: Financial summary table - Fiscal year 2025 to 2026

Category	Anticipated spending
Food	$2,489,995.00
Personnel	$845,547.10
Infrastructure (for example, fridges, food storage)	$436,888.54
Data/research	Included in "Personnel"
Administration	$222,354.21
Other costs	$50,000.00

Table 7.1: Financial summary table - Fiscal year 2026 to 2027

Category	Anticipated spending
Food	$1,684,694.85
Personnel	$851,653.51
Infrastructure (for example, fridges, food storage)	$494,458.95
Data/research	Included in "Personnel"
Administration	$229,024.84
Other costs	$51,500.00