Newfoundland and Labrador has signed an agreement with the federal government to expand support for the province’s school lunch program, which the province says will help 4,000 more students get a hot lunch this school year.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced funding totalling $9.1 million over the next three years in Rocky Harbour on Wednesday.
The funding will allow an additional 4,100 students to access the provincial school lunch program, according to a news release from Trudeau’s office.
“We’re talking about thousands of children across the province who will be able to receive school meals. In fact, as we continue to sign with provinces across the country, more and more children will be able to receive school meals, north, south, east and west,” Trudeau said.
The agreement is part of Canada’s national school lunch program, which was announced in April as part of Budget 2024. The government plans to spend $1 billion on the program over five years.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the first province to partner with the federal government so far, but Trudeau is encouraging other provinces to follow suit, saying he expects Manitoba and Prince Edward Island to be the next two provinces to sign on.
The national program aims to feed 400,000 children a year across Canada. The funding will support provincial and territorial programs, with the federal government saying feeding children healthy meals helps them reach their full potential.
“The school lunch program, which is being rolled out across the country as states sign on, is expected to save hundreds of dollars across the country, up to $800 for a family with two children. And it’s [grocery] Prices are high and people are feeling the pinch,” Trudeau said.
Newfoundland and Labrador is spending more than $3 million on the provincial school lunch program in the 2023-24 school year, which will provide 37,000 more students with access to school meals and an additional 61,000 students with access to breakfast, according to a news release.
Premier Andrew Furey said the announcement was groundbreaking and would accelerate plans to expand the state’s school meals program.
“You can’t reach your full potential if your stomach isn’t full, so I think it’s really important that we as a government focus on how we can help children learn and reach their full potential, including making sure they’re well fed,” he said.
“Partnering with the federal government will enable us to achieve higher metrics at a faster pace than we had envisioned when we announced this program last year.”
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