Ontario is expanding access to healthy food for students, including those in Oxford County
A major investment into school meal programs was made in Peterborough.
The Ontario government announced on Friday it is increasing funding for school meal programs by $5 million to ensure more students have access to nutritious food.
The new investment brings total provincial support for the Student Nutrition Program and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program to $37.5 million this year. Together, the programs will serve more than 800,000 students, delivering over 140 million healthy meals and snacks in schools, and another 1.4 million in Indigenous communities.
“To protect Ontario, we need to support the health and well-being of Ontario’s students,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “This investment will strengthen student nutrition programs and ensure more children and young people have access to healthy and nutritious food.”
Ontario is also relaunching its Healthy Students, Brighter Ontario community fundraising campaign, which aims to raise an additional $5 million through local partnerships with businesses and community groups.
Education Minister Paul Calandra said the investment recognizes that “students deserve every chance to succeed, and that starts with proper nutrition.”
The programs operate through partnerships with local agencies, school boards and community organizations, with volunteers preparing and serving meals in schools across the province.
Co-Founder and Government Relations Director, Breakfast Club of Canada, Judith Barry, says this is a step in the right direction.
Executive Director, Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, Sean Longboat adds these programs not only food access but the futures of the young people we serve.
(Written by: Jordan Mercier)
