Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to address colleagues on a key measure in budget 2025, the national school food program and the government's intention to enact legislation to make the program permanent.
The national school food program act, which would be enacted through Bill C-15, would set out the Government of Canada's long-term vision for the program, guided by the national school food policy.
This bill reinforces the government's efforts to ensure long-term funding for the program. We are working with the provinces and territories as well as indigenous partners to implement an initiative that enhances and expands school food programs across Canada.
It is not very often that a government measure is enthusiastically received by all provinces and territories, as well as indigenous partners and stakeholders.
In response to this development, the Canadian Teachers Federation said, “Fantastic News! The National School Food Program is here to stay”. The Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Breakfast Club of Canada also applauded this commitment to making the school food program permanent.
I have also met with provincial and territorial counterparts, such as Minister Cleveland from the Northwest Territories and Minister Hindley from Saskatchewan. They emphasize the positive impact that federal investments in school food are having on ensuring more children get nutritious meals at school.
As a result of these discussions, we learned that we are not the only ones who can see that the program is easing the pressure on families. It directly contributes to children's success by improving their health, education and well-being.
My responsibility today is to explain why we intend to make this program permanent and how it will make life more affordable for families across Canada.
Prior to federal investments, school food programs funded by provincial and territorial governments reached at least one in four school-aged children. Provinces and territories continue to invest in school food programming, with total funding estimated at $273 million last year, but persistent affordability pressures have meant that the demand for school food programming continues to grow.
Children deserve the best opportunities for success we can offer. That includes the opportunity to learn in school on a full belly.
In budget 2024, we invested $1 billion over five years to establish a national school food program and signed agreements with all 13 provinces and territories, as well as indigenous partners, to enhance and expand their school food programs.
Having such a program means having access to school lunches without prejudice or barriers, encouraging a healthy lifestyle, and creating connections with the local environment, culture and food systems.
This means prioritizing locally grown, healthy Canadian food while strengthening connections to local farmers, food producers and economies.
Good work is already happening, and it is important to continue this momentum. That is why our government is firmly committed to the national school food program, and this shows in budget 2025, which advances ongoing funding of $216.6 million per year starting at the end of the pilot project in 2029-30. This will make the program permanent.
The national school food program act was also introduced as part of the budget implementation act 2025, which is what we are debating today. The initiative we are cementing would provide up to 400,000 more children each year with access to nutritious meals at school while bringing down costs for parents. Research suggests that participation in such programs can save families with two children in school around $800 a year on groceries.
The school food programs offer immediate and long-term benefits to children and their families and protect them in times of uncertainty. These programs have improved academic performance, promoted better health and health equity, and strengthened ties to traditional cultures and food systems.
The national school food program is part of the federal government's work to build a more affordable Canada. This includes the Canada child benefit and other supports through targeted investments. They are all contributing to our effort to bring down costs for families so that they can get ahead.
The data tells us that every $1 invested in school food yields an estimated $2 to $6 in social returns. Studies also show that children who participate in robust school food programs go on to earn 3% to 5% more than those who do not.
In addition to ensuring that children receive the nutritious food they need, this program helps develop knowledge about food, strengthens communities and fosters local resilience.
I mentioned at the outset that the national school food program has been greeted enthusiastically by Canadians on the ground fighting food insecurity. I will illustrate this point.
As stated in a recent interview with Debbie Field, the national coordinator of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, “This is monumental. This is a generationally important decision that the government has made, and it will literally change the future of Canadian society and the health and well-being of children for generations to come.”
I also heard directly from members of the School Lunch Association in Newfoundland and Labrador. They deliver hundreds of meals each and every day in the federal riding of Central Newfoundland. They said they operate in four schools in the central region, with plans to expand in the area thanks to the additional funding the province will receive from the Government of Canada. Let us not forget that the Conservative MP for that riding called all of this garbage.
In addition, the education minister for the Northwest Territories confirmed to me that, thanks to our government's investments in the school food program in the territory, more children are attending school. Furthermore, according to consultations with Canadians across the country on the national school food policy in 2022 and 2023, affordability is the main reason schools need this program.
One child going to school hungry is too many. It is no way for a child to start their day of learning. It means they are not getting the best start in life, and ultimately that has an impact on all of us. That is why Canada's new government will make such permanent life-changing investments as the national school food program. It is now up to the Conservative members opposite as to whether they will listen to their provincial governments, listen to teachers and listen to their constituents in legislating this investment to help families get ahead.