Nutritious Food at School

Access to nutritious food at school helps students learn, focus, and thrive. Recent federal and provincial announcements mean even more support is coming for school nutrition programs helping ensure every child has the food they need to succeed.

Federal Level

·       The federal government announced it will make the National School Food Program a permanent program as part of Budget 2025.

·       The program currently aims to serve up to 400,000 children across Canada.

·       Once permanent, the program will receive $216.6 million annually starting in 2029/30.

·       The program is designed to reduce hunger, support learning, save families money, and stimulate local economies.

·       To date, all provinces and territories have signed bilateral agreements to participate and expand the program.

Provincial (Ontario) Level

·       Ontario has committed an additional $5 million investment toward student nutrition programming this school year.

·       That brings the total provincial funding for the Student Nutrition Program (SNP) and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program (FNSNP) to $37.5 million.

·       The $5 million is split into $4.25 million for SNP and $0.75 million for FNSNP.

·       These programs currently reach more than 800,000 students province-wide and provide more than 140 million healthy meals and snacks this school year.

·       Over 80% of provincially funded schools participate in the School Nutrition Program.

What this could mean for students locally

·       More access to healthy meals: Additional funding means more schools can offer or expand breakfast, snack, and lunch programs.

·       Improved learning and wellbeing: Students who eat well are better able to focus, learn, and participate in class.

·       More stable support: Permanent federal funding and increased provincial investment will help sustain local programs long-term.

·       Stronger community impact: Local partners, schools, and volunteers continue to play an essential role in ensuring every student has access to nutritious food.

Together, with the support of our governments and local partners, we’re helping ensure every student has access to nutritious food and a fair chance to succeed in school.

•  Check out the Food For Kids Peterborough and County Student Nutrition Program Snapshot 2024/25.
•  Check out the Student Nutrition Ontario Central East Summary 2024/25.