In August 2023 the Coalition for Healthy School Food submitted its Written Submission for the Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2024 Budget. We used this opportunity to recommend that the Government of Canada:
Allocate $1 billion over five years and collaborate with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to provide them with an initial $200 million as soon as possible to fund existing school food programs.
Create a separate School Food Infrastructure Fund grants program of, at minimum, $50 million.
Negotiate independent School Food Policy agreements with First Nation, Inuit and Métis leadership to ensure long-term and sustainable funding for Indigenous school nutritious meal programs.
Such an investment would support student health, school performance and educational outcomes, mental health and wellbeing, economic growth and job creation, sustainable environmental practices, and women and families.
We also recommended that in the longer term, (2+ years) the Government continue to expand funding to provinces and territories and First Nation, Inuit and Métis partners in a process of ongoing collaboration for a truly national, universal school food program for Canada.
Read our full pre-budget submission, which shares more details about how the development of a School Food Program for Canada could help advance the health and wellbeing of children, youth and families in Canada as well as the Canadian economy.