Healthy meals for kids in Newfoundland and Labrador

ROCKY HARBOUR, NL, Sept. 4, 2024 /CNW/ - When kids eat well, they do better in school. And when kids do well in school, they succeed.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Andrew Furey, today announced an agreement to expand school food programs in the province. This agreement, under the National School Food Program, will result in 4,100 more kids in Newfoundland and Labrador getting healthy meals this school year. 

Participating families with two kids will save an estimated $800 a year, on average. It will mean lower grocery bills for families and school meals for kids – helping them learn, grow, and get the best start in life.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the first province to reach an agreement with the federal government through the new National School Food Program. This initial investment of approximately $9.1 million over three years will help more kids get access to school food. We invite all provinces and territories to reach these agreements – it's one of the best investments we can make to lower costs, support families, and care for our kids.

With an investment of $1 billion over five years, the National School Food Program, announced in Budget 2024, will feed up to 400,000 more kids across Canada every year. The Program will also be a safety net for the kids who are most impacted by the lack of access to food, including lower-income families and some Indigenous communities. Through the agreement announced today, the federal government is helping students across Newfoundland and Labrador to reach their full potential, on a full stomach.

This announcement is good for parents, kids, teachers, and the economy. Alongside this, we're bringing down the cost of living, building more homes, investing in affordable dental care, and helping every generation get a fair shot.

Quotes
"The National School Food Program is a game changer. Today's agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador will get healthy school meals to kids and help parents save hundreds of dollars in grocery bills. It's one of the best investments we can make to lower costs, support families, and make sure no child goes hungry."
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

"In Newfoundland and Labrador, we recognize the importance of helping our young people ‒ the future of our province ‒ reach their full potential. Supporting students with healthy food through this agreement with the federal government will have a massive impact on families across our province, and we are proud to be a leader in the country in this program."
— The Hon. Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

"This historic agreement is about more than just food – it's about giving children in Newfoundland and Labrador a fair shot. It's a promise to our children that, no matter where they come from, they will have access to the healthy meals they need to succeed in school and in life. Because we know full bellies lead to happy, thriving kids."
— The Hon. Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

"Our National School Food Program will help connect schools with local food organizations, while creating opportunities for our farmers, food processors, and harvesters. Most importantly, it will let kids focus on being kids and take some of the pressure off parents. Quite simply, kids can't learn when they're hungry. This agreement with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is a great first step, and I know it will make a real difference for children and families across the province."
— The Hon. Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"Curious young minds cannot learn on an empty stomach. A national school food program will give kids in Newfoundland and Labrador the best possible start and help their parents with the cost of living. That is fairness for everyone."
— The Hon. Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Quick Facts

• School food programs provide children and youth with meals and snacks at school, often at no-to-low cost for participating families. Providing food to children and youth provides many benefits, including reducing hunger, improving nutrition and health outcomes, supporting local economies, and reducing food-related spending for families.
• According to Statistics Canada estimates, in 2022, 22.3 per cent of families and more than 2.1 million children under the age of 18 in Canada reported experiencing some level of food insecurity over the previous 12 months.
• Budget 2024's investment of $1 billion over five years includes distinctions-based funding for First Nations on reserve as well as Inuit, Métis, and Modern Treaty and Self-Government agreement holders. We are working directly with Indigenous partners on the rollout of that funding, with more information to come.
• Following the announcement of the new National School Food Program in Budget 2024, the Prime Minister unveiled the federal government's National School Food Policy in June. The Policy sets out a vision, principles, and objectives for school food programming across Canada, and is guiding the creation of the National School Food Program in collaboration with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners. It is focused on accessibility, flexibility, inclusivity, sustainability, and better health for kids.
• In 2023-24, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador invested over $3 million in their school food programs, which contributed to supporting over 61,000 students under their school breakfast programming and over 37,000 students under their school lunch programming.
• To give every child the best start in life, the federal government is also:
  • Giving families more money through the Canada Child Benefit to help with the costs of raising children and make a real difference in the lives of kids in Canada. The Canada Child Benefit, which is providing up to $7,787 per child in 2024-25, is indexed annually to keep up with the cost of living and has helped lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty since its launch in 2016.
  • Delivering an early learning and child care system across all provinces and territories, which has already cut fees for regulated child care to an average of $10-a-day or less in over half of all provinces and territories, and by 50 per cent or more in all others.
  • Improving access to dental health care for children under 18 with the Canadian Dental Care Plan, because no one should have to choose between taking care of their kids' teeth and putting food on the table.

Associated Links

• National School Food Policy
• Feeding the future today: Canada's National School Food Program
• National School Food Program
• Giving every child the best start in life
• Budget 2024: Fairness for Every Generation

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

PMO Media Relations: [email protected]; Meghan McCabe, Office of the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, 709-729-3960, [email protected]