Question Period Note: NATIONAL SCHOOL FOOD POLICY

National School Food Policy

Ensuring every child gets the best start in life is a priority for our Government. We recognize that when more children have healthy meals at school, it helps set them up to reach their full potential. That is why our Government is working collaboratively with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to build a national school food policy that reflects regional and local needs.

Engagements have been undertaken and over 5,200 Canadians shared their views through our online questionnaire. We will continue to engage with stakeholders across Canada as development of the Policy continues.

If pressed on Budget 2023:

We continue to work with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners and stakeholders to deliver on this important and ongoing commitment.

The December 2021 mandate letters of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food included the commitment to work with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to work toward a national school nutritious meal program.

Budget 2022 reaffirmed the commitment for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development to work with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school.

Budget 2023 did not include an investment for a National School Food Policy.

School food programming, with the exception of First Nations on-reserve, falls under provincial/territorial jurisdiction. A study by Ruetz and McKenna estimated that provinces and territories collectively contributed over $93 million toward school food programs in the 2018-2019 school year. Provincial/territorial governments, local authorities, volunteers and third parties fund and deliver some existing school food programming. However, there is an uneven patchwork of free or reduced-cost programming supported by provinces and territories across the country, reaching at minimum one in five (21%) school-age children; the needs of many children are not adequately met.

The Government of Canada has provided some funding to support school food initiatives. For example, the Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund delivered by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has invested an estimated $12 million in funding to support four healthy eating projects in schools. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC’s) Emergency Food Security Fund has also provided approximately $12 million in funding to support more than 800 food projects in schools across the country, including school breakfast and meal programs. Funding to support school food programming for First Nations and Inuit children is also provided through Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative, respectively.

National School Food Policy Engagement Channels

ESDC has undertaken engagements with Canadians and diverse stakeholders to inform the development of a National School Food Policy.

Following an announcement about school food in Budget 2019, ESDC consulted on school food with PTs and stakeholders. As a part of this process, provinces and territories provided information on existing programming.

In late 2022, Minister Gould hosted a series of roundtables with non-profit organizations, service delivery organizations, academics, experts, charities, schools and community organizations on the principles and objectives of a national school food policy. The roundtables focused on several themes including service delivery, health and nutrition, regional perspectives and school communities.

In December 2022, AAFC hosted a roundtable on a national school food policy with non-profit and industry stakeholders and experts focused on local community development, school food environment and food literacy.

An online questionnaire was launched from November 16 to December 16, 2022, to seek the views of all Canadians on a National School Food Policy. The questionnaire garnered over 5,200 responses from parents, teachers, school administrators, service delivery providers, and interested organizations. Written submissions are also being accepted with over 70 received to date.

ESDC has had introductory conversations with all provinces and territories on school food at the official-level as well as with Indigenous partners, to further work on a policy.

Through the Inuit-Crown Food Security Working Group, federal departments are supporting an Inuit-led study on the cost of an Inuit Nunangat School Food Program in Inuit Nunangat.

ESDC and AAFC have met with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Assembly of First Nations. Furthermore, officials have hosted information sessions for Modern Treaty Holders and Self-Governing Nations and the National Indian Education Council for First Nations.

Stakeholders and experts have been engaged in developing a policy, including through the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council’s Working Group on School Nutrition, who have provided high-level recommendations to Minister Bibeau and Minister Gould.

On March 9, 2023, Serge Cormier (LPC, Acadie-Bathurst) introduced Bill C-322, An Act to develop a national framework to establish a school food program. The first reading of this Private Member’s Bill was completed on the same day in the House of Commons.

In May and June 2023, PS Ya’ara Saks and PS Adam van Koeverden hosted two engagement sessions with children and youth (grades 3 to 12) on behalf of Minister Gould to seek their views on a National School Food Policy. The sessions were facilitated by Children First Canada.

Stakeholders view the National School Food Policy and that of resulting programming as an opportunity to increase children’s access to healthy meals at school while enabling flexibility to address unique challenges and contexts across the country.

Stakeholders generally favour approaches that are affordable, accessible, health-focused, and universally available. Potential policy components that will be further explored through the engagement process include health promotion and ensuring food is adequate and nutritious, exploring how to align programming to needs in a way to avoid stigma, culturally appropriate programming, and ensuring accountability.

The findings from the engagement done to date will be detailed in a forthcoming What We Heard Report, which is presently being finalizing. It is anticipated that the What We Heard report will be published this fall.

Food Policy for Canada

Budget 2019 announced over $134.4 million in initial investments to support a Food Policy for Canada. Led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the policy is meant to ensure that all Canadians “are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious, and culturally diverse food [and that] Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment and supports our economy.” The Food Policy for Canada aligns with the objectives of initiatives across the federal government, such as the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Heathy Eating Strategy, and the Poverty Reduction Strategy, among others.

The announcement of the Food Policy included a federal commitment to “engage with provinces, territories, and key stakeholder groups to work toward the creation of a National School Food Program.”

As part of the implementation of the Food Policy, AAFC announced the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, a five-year, $60 million initiative, ending March 31, 2024, with $20 million in top ups through Budget 2021 and 2023, which supports community-based initiatives to strengthen food systems and improve food access.

“A national school food policy is in line with the government’s vision of “giving children a better start in life.”

“Following extensive consultations in which over 5,000 Canadians and 130 organizations have participated, we look forward to sharing results through a What We Heard Report soon. Our children should have access to nutritious meals so they can learn in the best possible conditions.”

The Hon. Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“No matter where they live, every child deserves access to safe and nutritious food. Through our first-ever Food Policy, we are working towards a National School Food Policy and Program to ensure more children have access to healthy meals at school to help them reach their full potential.”

The Hon. Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food