Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, attends a cabinet meeting at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Minister Sudds said the government hopes children will be receiving meals from the National School Lunch Program by the end of next school year, but it will take time for the organization to expand its operations. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick
Families Minister Jenna Sudds said the government hopes children will be receiving meals from the National School Meals Programme by the end of next year, but it will take time for the organisation to scale up its operations.
The Liberals have set aside $1 billion over five years for the program, as they promised during the 2021 election campaign.
Sudds said the agreement was similar in nature to child care agreements the government had made with states and territories to lower child care fees.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced new policies to guide these negotiations at a press conference in Nova Scotia today.
School feeding programs rely heavily on existing organizations that already provide meals to children and aim to eliminate stigma.
Sudds says that means all children who attend school should have access to the lunch, breakfast or snack program.
