Funding for school food in Nova Scotia
Blog post by: Lindsay Corbin, Coordinator, Nova Scotia Coalition for Healthy School Food
The NS Coalition for Healthy School Food is very excited to see Nova Scotia’s investment of $18.8M in a school lunch program that will launch in elementary schools this fall and expand to all grade levels over the next 4 years, reaching an estimated $100M annual investment by 2027-2028.
Students need to be nourished so they can learn, have more energy, and be less distracted by hunger. They also deserve to eat, value, and enjoy healthy foods, but we know that many families are struggling with the cost of food right now. 1 in 4 of Nova Scotia’s children experience food insecurity, but this is not equitably distributed as the ratio increases to 1 in 3 for Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students.
While school food programs will not address the larger issue of income-related food insecurity, universal programs do support equitable access to food in school for all students, and school meals help take the pressure off family food budgets. Research shows that universal school food programs where children have both breakfast and lunch at school can reduce household food spending by $130-$190 per child per month. School food programs can also be a driver of community economic development, contributing good jobs and strengthening local food systems.
One way we would like to see this reflected in the school lunch rollout is through the support of local cultural food choices with community benefit agreements for food provision by local farmers and equity-deserving groups. Dr. Amberley Ruetz and colleagues have recently published a paper on the economic rationale of school food programs, which you can read more about here.
It is noteworthy that school food often tops the list when our member organization, UpLift, engages with students on improving their school environment(s). Involving students in school lunch program development ensures that their needs are met.
Many details are still unknown about how this program will roll out, but here is what we know so far:
The first lunch programs will roll out to elementary schools this fall. This does not necessarily mean September; it could be later in the fall.
Over the next four years, lunch programs will be phased in for all grade levels in all public schools in NS.
By 2027-2028, the estimated annual investment in this program will be $100M.
Funds will be used for food, infrastructure, and staffing.
It will be affordable for everyone and free for those who need it.
While the term ‘pay what you can’ has not been used, the information we’ve seen describes a program where families will either pay a small amount, or nothing. This will be accomplished in a stigma-free system, which we presume is an online ordering system like PEI’s model.
The NS Coalition for Healthy School Food is ready and eager to provide support for implementation based on our guiding principles, as well as the research and experiences of our counterparts across Canada. Similar investments have recently been made in several provinces, most notably in BC, Manitoba, and Newfoundland. All provinces can learn from one another as we strive to implement robust school food programs.
Kids shouldn’t have to put their hand up when they’re hungry, so a universal lunch program is a huge first step toward a more positive, inclusive learning environment. This investment, combined with actions coming out of the Auditor General’s report, gives Nova Scotia the opportunity to be a leader in school food in Canada. We are cautiously optimistic that provincial funds will be complemented by federal funds if the government steps up and honours their promise of $1B over 5 years for school food, ideally in their upcoming budget.
Nova Scotia’s budget announcement is a significant step forward, but until we have a universal school food program in all schools, some students will still be hungry in class. Our work is not yet done, but today, we are celebrating a major milestone on this journey.
For comments or questions about this blog, please reach out to lindsay.corbin@nourishns.ca