Support for a Funded Healthy School Food Program in Budget 2024 (Federal) (Motion #61-23)

Moved by Sizer – Tessier

Approved by Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, October 19, 2023

61-23 Support for a funded healthy school food program in Budget 2024 (Federal)

WHEREAS a universal publicly funded student nutrition program can positively impact students’ nourishment, health and well-being, behaviours and attitudes, school connectedness, and academic success; and

WHEREAS the current provincial student nutrition program strives to offer a breakfast, snack, and/or lunch to students each school day, but not all schools have adequate financial and human resources to offer them; and

WHEREAS the annual monitoring of food affordability in Sudbury and districts demonstrates that some families may struggle to purchase food, and a universal fully-funded student nutrition program can help to ensure no child is left out of the program due to their family’s ability to pay; and

WHEREAS the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts passed motion 02-20 supporting a universal publicly funded healthy school food program; and

WHEREAS although the Ontario government recently announced an additional $5 million this year in the provincial Student Nutrition Program and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program, more support is needed to ensure a fully-funded universal student nutrition program; and

WHEREAS the federal government announced its commitment to work toward the creation of a National School Food Policy to help Canadian communities access healthy food in the Food Policy for Canada; and

WHEREAS the Ontario Public Health Standards requires boards of health to support and participate with other partners in advancing school food policy and programming using population health assessment and surveillance, policy development; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts support the recommendations submitted by the Coalition for Healthy School Food to the Government of Canada as part of advance consultations for Budget 2024:

Allocate $1 billion over five years and collaborate with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to provide them with an initial $200 million as soon as possible to fund existing school food programs; and

Create a separate School Food Infrastructure Fund grants program of, at minimum, $50 million; and 

Negotiate independent School Food Policy agreements with First Nation, Inuit and Métis leadership to ensure long-term and sustainable funding for Indigenous school nutritious meal programs; and

THAT the Board calls on the Federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development for investment in healthy school food in Budget 2024, as presented in the House of Commons’ online e-4586 (Food and drink); and

FURTHER THAT The Board share this motion with relevant stakeholders, including Ontario Boards of Health and the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa).

CARRIED WITH AMENDMENT

This item was last modified on October 27, 2023