Canada Takes a Bite Out of Child Hunger With $1 Billion Investment
Advocates Celebrate Pre-Budget Announcement of Funding for National School Food Program
April 1, 2024, Toronto, ON – Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a historic announcement of $1 billion in funding for a National School Food Program ahead of Budget 2024, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Minister Jenna Sudds, and Minister Marci Ien. Working in partnership with the provinces, territories and Indigenous partners, the federal government will help ensure that 400,000 more children receive healthy, nutritious meals each day by expanding access through the new national program.
Members of Children First Canada (CFC) were on hand for the announcement, including members of the Board of Directors, Andrea Chrysanthou (Chair) and Saeed Selvam, along with 11-year-old Rayn Asaria, member of CFC’s Youth Advisory Council, and 10 year old Nathaniel Charles, member of the Young Canadians’ Parliament.
Children First Canada is a national charity that serves as an independent voice for all 8 million children in Canada, and led the cross-country consultations with children and youth for the national school food policy. It also ensured that members of the Young Canadians’ Parliament, a growing movement of young people under 18 who are standing up for their rights, had the opportunity to shape the policy through meetings with Ministers Jenna Sudds, Karina Gould, Marci Ien, and Marie-Claud Bibeau.
Canada is among the world’s 10 top wealthiest countries, yet prior to today’s announcement, it was the only G7 country without a National School Food Program. Children First Canada has long urged the government to implement the program to ensure the 5-million school aged kids across the country have access to a healthy, nutritious meal each day. As a member of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, CFC has called for an investment of $1 billion over five years to implement the policy, and to collaborate with provinces, territories and Indigenous partners to provide them an initial investment of $200 million as soon as possible to fund existing school food programs.
“Every child has the right to healthy, nutritious food, and today’s announcement will make a transformational change in the lives of millions of children from coast to coast to coast,” says Sara Austin, Founder and CEO of Children First Canada. “Millions of students go to school hungry and under nourished each day, and with the 29% increase in food insecurity for kids last year, the program is urgently needed. We applaud the government’s commitment to invest in kids and ensure that every child can thrive.”
To coordinate an interview, please contact:
Andrea Chrysanthou
416-797-8194
achrysanthou@childrenfirstcanada.com
About Children First Canada
Children First Canada is a national charity that aspires to create a country where children can grow up free from the barriers that prevent them from achieving their full potential – starting with the protection of their most basic rights to childhood. As a charity that’s uniquely focused on the rights of children in Canada, we aim to raise awareness of the issues through research and campaigns, we equip young Canadians as the leaders of today and tomorrow, and we unite our country around a shared vision and plan to make this the best place in the world for kids to grow up!
www.childrenfirstcanada.org
Members of Children First Canada (CFC) were on hand for the announcement, including members of the Board of Directors, Andrea Chrysanthou (Chair) and Saeed Selvam, along with 11-year-old Rayn Asaria, member of CFC’s Youth Advisory Council, and 10 year old Nathaniel Charles, member of the Young Canadians’ Parliament.