Renewed calls for universal lunch programs in Nova Scotia ahead of the school year

Lunches with a salad of brown rice, carrots, organic broccoli and chicken mixed with a light vinaigrette dressing and fresh strawberries and a piece of chocolate chip zucchini bread await storage and transportation to a school in Muskegon, Mich., Sept.24, 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo/The Muskegon Chronicle, Ken Stevens)

Nova Scotia opposition parties are renewing calls for government to set up a universal school lunch program to support children and families dealing with food insecurity as the new school year approaches.

Zach Churchill, leader of the Nova Scotia Liberals, said in a statement Thursday “the cost of living is a top concern for people in every corner of the province. It’s disappointing to see the Houston government doesn’t share those same concerns.”

The province has a universal breakfast program, but does not provide free lunches to all students. Federal Liberals agreed to support a universal lunch program in 2021.

A Department of Education spokesperson said Thursday the province is still waiting on a finalized plan for support from the federal government before a program is launched.

Chris Boulter, an executive director with the department, said moving forward with the project is “dependent on federal funding” and the province does not have a timeline for when that support will be available.

“But I want to be really clear… any student who arrives at school and doesn’t have food gets food,” Boulter said.

When asked why the province won't establish the program before federal support is secured, a Department of Education and Early Childhood Development spokesperson did not directly answer.

"The federal government has shown interest in universal lunch programs and will be an important partner for provinces to ensure programs are sustainable over the long term," a department spokesperson said in a statement.

"Our goal is to work with our federal counterparts to deliver a universal lunch program in Nova Scotia’s schools as quickly as possible.”

Claudia Chender, Nova Scotia NDP leader, said in an interview Thursday the province should not be waiting on Ottawa to support students in need of consistent, healthy food.

“Our government has jurisdiction over education, and the evidence is clear that many of the most vulnerable Nova Scotian kids don’t have the option to provide for themselves,” Chender said.

“These kids rely on their families, and ultimately their government to make sure that they have what they need and we know Nova Scotia had among the highest rates of child poverty in the country.”

Data from May found that 22 per cent of Nova Scotians were food insecure in 2022 — higher than the average of 18.4 per cent across the 10 provinces.

Food insecurity is on the rise across the provinces, with 15.7 per cent of people living in food-insecure households in 2021.

“It goes without saying that with the high cost of living and challenges around affordability, one of the first things that goes is healthy food,” Chender said.

Paul Lethbridge, with Breakfast Club of Canada, told CTV Morning Live Thursday that the organization is working on raising money in order to cater to the extremely high demand of school food programs across the country.

“There’s right now almost 800 schools across Canada that are on waiting lists to have a breakfast program,” Lethbridge said.

“Aside from maintaining our existing programs — which is hard to do right now because food inflation is so high — we’re also trying to make sure we can open more breakfast programs down the road.”

Lethbridge said children need access to healthy food in order to focus and learn in school.

“When a child goes to school on an empty stomach, they’re thinking about what they’re going to eat next and when,” he said.

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