REGINA – The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) applauds the funding commitment and principles outlined in the National School Food Policy announced by the Government of Canada today.
School food and nutritional programming is a priority for Saskatchewan’s 27 locally elected boards of education who adopted a resolution in 2023 to advocate provincially and nationally with the Canadian School Boards Association (CSBA) for the development of a healthy, universal, cost-shared school food program funded by the federal and provincial governments in consultation with all school boards.
“We know there is a universal need in this country and this commitment to school food and student nutrition is really important for Saskatchewan students,” said Jaimie Smith-Windsor, president of the SSBA. “This policy acknowledges the need and the opportunity to work collaboratively with partners and all levels of government to implement locally designed food programs that meet the unique needs of our school communities.”
School boards are ideally positioned to work with the Government of Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, and First Nations and Indigenous Communities to operationalize the National School Food Program to ensure it is as effective and efficient as possible through a community-by-community approach that continues to leverage and build upon the many existing partnerships along with cultural and local expertise.
The National School Food Policy, resulting from national engagement with diverse stakeholders and the public, builds on the commitment of $1 billion in the 2024 Federal Budget to create a new National School Food Program. It recognizes that collaboration with other orders of government will be essential and there is a commitment to work with provincial, territorial, and Indigenous partners to deliver a National School Food Program, with support beginning as early as the 2024-25 school year.
School boards look forward to further discussions and collaboration on the implementation of the program. SSBA School Food Program Advocacy information available here: https://saskschoolboards.ca/advocacy/advocacy-activity/.