'Long time coming': Budget to include $1B for national school food program

The federal Liberal government is finally making good on a years-old election campaign pledge, committing Monday to allocate $1 billion over five years to fund a new national school food program. The funding, to be included in the upcoming April 16 budget, will help provide meals to an additional 400,000 Canadian kids a year.

The federal Liberal government is finally making good on a years-old election campaign pledge, committing Monday to allocate $1 billion over five years to fund a new national school food program.

The funding, to be included in the upcoming April 16 budget, will launch with the aim of expanding existing school food programs, providing meals to an additional 400,000 Canadian kids a year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, made the announcement in Scarborough, Ont., backed by members of cabinet and caucus as part of their latest pre-budget press tour.

Vowing to work with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners on implementation — as he has with other recent pre-budget pledges — Trudeau framed this funding as a safety net for kids and families facing food insecurity.

"Tomorrow, kids will be going back to school, and some of them won't have enough to eat. That impacts their health and their opportunities to learn and grow," the prime minister said, noting the cost of groceries was likely a topic of conversation at many family gatherings over the long weekend.

"We've recognized that every province and territory has its ways of delivering food programs to kids, but we also know the need is far greater than anyone is able to meet right now," Trudeau said, noting some recent progress made in Nova Scotia and Manitoba.

"These are choices we're making as a government because we know that making sure that young people here get the best start in life… is how you build fairness for every generation."