Recommendations will help the Government of Canada improve children's access to nutritious food while at school
November 1, 2022 Gatineau, Quebec Employment and Social Development Canada
One in five children in Canada are at risk of going to school hungry on any given day. School meal programs can help reduce hunger and food insecurity, improve children's access to nutritious food, improve academic outcomes and achievement, and help support families by reducing food costs. Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, announced that the Government of Canada has launched consultations to develop a pan-Canadian school food policy and explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school.
Following these consultations with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous partners and stakeholders, the policy will seek to guide the expansion of school meal programming based on key principles and objectives, while ensuring a flexible approach that leaves room for local adaptation. It will also seek to establish a foundation for greater collaboration and investment, so that more children have access to nutritious food in school. Engagement with Indigenous partners will help ensure that the policy reflects the unique and diverse needs of Indigenous children.
A pan-Canadian school food policy needs to take into account the diverse realities of children in Canada, their families and their schools, and it should constructively build on the programs that already exists. That is why the Government wants to hear directly from Canadians with diverse perspectives and learn from their experiences with school food programs. In addition to roundtable discussions with key stakeholder groups, including children and youth, the Government of Canada will be launching an online questionnaire on its Consulting with Canadians webpage in November, where all Canadians will be welcome to share their perspectives to help inform the development of a pan-Canadian school food policy.
The input received through these consultations will help build a pan-Canadian school food policy that is responsive to the evolving needs of children and families, while also setting a foundation for a future where more children in Canada have access to nutritious food while at school.
