Minister MacAulay announces 10 organizations to deliver the School Food Infrastructure Fund to help strengthen food security in communities across Canada

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 31, 2025 /CNW/ - Kids need access to nutritious food at school so they can learn, grow, and reach their full potential. That is why the Government of Canada is taking action to strengthen wider community and local food systems through investments in infrastructure that expand the reach and impact of school food programming.

Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced the 10 initial recipients of the $20.2-million federal School Food Infrastructure Fund (SFIF). As part of the $62.9-million announcement in Budget 2024, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is delivering the SFIF over the next year to support the purchase and installation of infrastructure and equipment that increases the capacity of community organizations to produce, process, store, and distribute food for school food programs.

The initial recipients include Breakfast Club of Canada, Farm to Cafeteria Canada, Food Banks Canada, Food Depot Alimentaire, Food First NL, Mazon Canada, Saskatchewan School Boards Association, Second Harvest, United Way BC and United Way East Ontario.

These initial recipients will further distribute funding to eligible not-for-profit organizations (known as ultimate recipients) through individual application intakes. Eligible community-based organizations are encouraged to use the SFIF Initial Recipient Finder to determine which organization best serves their geographic area and needs.

Quotes

"No child should go hungry at school. We're working with the provinces and territories to deliver our National School Food Program and partnering with trusted not-for-profit organizations to build up the infrastructure and purchase the equipment needed for school food programs across the country. Together, we can make sure our kids have the healthy meals they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond."
- The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"Our National School Food Program is helping parents with grocery costs and making sure kids get healthy meals at school. But we can't do it alone. That's why we're teaming up with trusted partners to get schools the tools and kitchen upgrades they need to feed more kids."
-The Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Quick Facts

• The SFIF is delivered as a complement to both the National School Food Program, and the guidance provided under the National School Food Policy.
• Launched on September 6, 2024 by Minister MacAulay, the SFIF uses a further distribution of funds model that allows AAFC to leverage the expertise and networks of not-for-profit organizations that are active in the school food programming space. AAFC will rely on the expertise of the initial recipients to select the organizations and activities (ultimate recipients) to be funded.
• Projects and final funding are subject to negotiation of a contribution agreement.
• As another component of the $62.9-million announcement in Budget 2024, AAFC is delivering Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF), which mobilizes up to $42.7 million to support production-focused projects that improve community food security and resilience through the purchase and installation of infrastructure that will increase access to local, nutritious and culturally-appropriate food.
• Announced in Budget 2024, the National School Food Program will feed hundreds of thousands of 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. This funding will provide up to 400,000 additional children per year across Canada access to nutritious food at school.

Associated Links

• School Food Infrastructure Fund
• Budget 2024: Fairness for Every Generation
• News Release: Healthy meals for kids in Newfoundland and Labrador
• Feeding the future today: Canada's National School Food Program
• Local Food Infrastructure Fund

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Contacts: For media: Annie Cullinan, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected]; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]