Manitoba has become the second province in Canada to join the federal government’s school food program, following in the footsteps of Nova Scotia.
The announcement was made by Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Tuesday, who praised Manitoba for taking this important step towards ensuring all students have access to healthy and nutritious meals at school.
Under the program, the federal government will provide $100 million over the next five years to support provinces and territories in implementing a universal healthy school food program. This includes funding for equipment, training, and resources to help schools provide nutritious meals to students.
Manitoba’s Minister of Education, Cliff Cullen, expressed his enthusiasm for the program, stating that it will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of students in the province. He also noted that the program aligns with the province’s own initiatives to promote healthy eating and physical activity in schools.
The federal government’s school food program is part of a larger effort to address food insecurity and promote healthy eating among children and youth. According to a 2019 report by PROOF, an organization that studies food insecurity in Canada, one in six children in the country experience food insecurity, which can have negative impacts on their physical and mental health, as well as their academic performance.
Nova Scotia was the first province to sign onto the federal program in October 2020, and other provinces and territories are expected to follow suit in the coming months.
In addition to providing nutritious meals to students, the program also aims to support local food systems by sourcing food from local producers and suppliers. This will not only benefit the health of students, but also the economy and environment.
The federal government’s school food program has been widely praised by organizations such as Food Secure Canada and the Coalition for Healthy School Food, who have been advocating for a national school food program for years.
With Manitoba now on board, it is clear that the federal government’s efforts to address food insecurity and promote healthy eating among children and youth are gaining momentum. This is a positive step towards ensuring that all students have access to the healthy and nutritious meals they need to thrive.
