Federal Government Falls Short in Prioritizing Children’s Well-Being in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement

Boucherville, Quebec, November 22, 2023 – Breakfast Club of Canada was looking forward to the 2023 Fall Economic Statement with great anticipation. After meeting with key government stakeholders in Ottawa on Monday, November 20th, and after months of discussions, the Government of Canada seems to be insufficiently recognizing the gravity of the situation, especially with regards to the crisis of food insecurity among students.

 

Breakfast Club of Canada acknowledges the efforts made by the federal government to assist the middle class. However, it is evident that the announced measures are not sufficient to address the needs of vulnerable groups, particularly children. Over the past few years, Breakfast Club of Canada and various other organizations have expressed serious concerns. Yet, while the last few months have been marked by severe economic uncertainty for families, the government has still not implemented the National School Food Program it committed to nearly five years ago. This initiative was initially announced in the Budget 2019, then included as an election promise in the Liberal Party of Canada’s 2021 Platform.

 

“As Canada’s only national school nutrition delivery organization, we express our dissatisfaction with the federal government’s Fall Economic Statement, which falls significantly short in addressing the urgent crisis faced by children. The latest budgetary allocations lack the comprehensive measures necessary to effectively address access to nutritious food for all in our society. Urgent action is needed to ensure no child goes to school hungry. The Liberals should have by now honoured their electoral promise of 2021 to prioritize the well-being of the nation’s children by revisiting and reinforcing its commitment to implementing a National School Food Policy. This year, once again, it is failing on its promises to children “, comments Tommy Kulczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Breakfast Club of Canada.

Food insecurity in Canada is the worst it’s ever been

According to the most recent data from Statistics Canada, household food insecurity has reached a record high in Canada’s ten provinces. The University of Toronto’s latest report on Household Food Insecurity in Canada, drawing on the Canadian Income Survey by StatCan, reveals that the percentage of households facing inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints increased from 15.9% in 2021 to 17.8% in 2022. This translates to 6.9 million Canadians, including almost 1.8 million children under the age of 18.

 

Families with low-income are at the greatest risk of food insecurity, with rates nearly doubling the overall average (35% compared to 18%). However, the majority of families experiencing food insecurity have incomes that surpass the poverty threshold. In fact, approximately 80% of families dealing with food insecurity fall above the poverty line.

 

These estimates don’t include people living in First Nations or territories where rates of food insecurity are typically even higher.

 

“We are at a critical time as families and children in Canada are grappling with an affordability crisis of unprecedented scale. The Fall Economic Update would have been a good opportunity for the federal government to intervene and to prioritize investments in school nutrition programs, ensuring that every student across the country has access to the essential nutrients crucial for unlocking their full potential. It has used this platform on several occasions in recent years for budget announcements in exceptional situations. And we’ve reached an exceptional situation,” adds Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director, Government Relations.

 

At the end of October, the federal government released a What We Heard Report following public consultations to seek feedback on a National School Food Policy. While the report outlines the desired characteristics of a prospective school food program, no information regarding the subsequent steps or the timeline for implementation has been disclosed.

 

Breakfast Club of Canada will continue its efforts in the weeks and months ahead to work with the Government of Canada, as well as public and private partners on the development and implementation of a National School Food Program.

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

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Source: Breakfast Club of Canada
For further information: Eric Aach, eaach@national.ca, 514 569-3594

Breakfast Club of Canada Engages with Key Government Stakeholders to Discuss Food Insecurity Among Students

Ottawa, Ontario, November 20, 2023 — In honour of National Child Day Breakfast Club of Canada meets with members of parliament and senators during a Breakfast on the Hill. The event serves as a chance to discuss the importance of implementing a National School Food Policy so that no children start the school day on an empty stomach preventing them from improving their learning capacities, growing emotionally and physically healthy, and ultimately being able to reach their full potential.

 

More generally, the event provides an opportunity to draw attention to the mission of Breakfast Club of Canada, the only national school nutrition delivery organization, and to discuss the role that various stakeholders are called on to play to protect the well-being of children across the country and see to it that their rights are upheld.

 

A survey by Maru/Blue conducted earlier this year on behalf of Breakfast Club of Canada has shown that 88% of Canadians think that federal, provincial, and municipal governments should make child hunger and malnutrition a political priority. Moreso, 84% believe that the federal government should implement a national school food program, which the Liberal Party of Canada promised to work towards in the 2021 federal elections.

 

Canada’s National School Food Policy

Building on many years of working together with the federal government and the school nutrition ecosystem, takes the opportunity today to reiterate the importance of the federal government’s commitment to developing and implementing a National School Food Program. The event also gives the members of parliament the opportunity to hear the perspectives from regional and local delivery partners.

 

At the end of October, the government of Canada released a What We Heard Report following public consultations to seek feedback on a national school food policy. Ensuring that every child gets the best start in life is a shared priority for Breakfast Club of Canada and the Government of Canada. Today’s event is an opportunity to discuss the highlights of this report in a non-partisan way, and to realize that almost all participants of the consultation agreed that school food programs benefit children and their communities.

 

Breakfast Club of Canada is pleased to have been able to support the government throughout the process of these consultations and hopes that immediate next steps will be taken. A collective effort by the government and all members of the House of Commons is necessary to secure the financial commitments required to implement a cost-shared school food program that follows the principles and objectives laid out in the recent report.

 

Quotes

“The future of all children depends on the decisions and actions we are taking today. A National School Food Program would allow more children from coast-to-coast-to-coast to have access to nutritious food, which in turn would improve their overall health and academic performance. We will keep ramping up our outreach efforts to make this happen and help roll out a national policy as quickly as possible.” — Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director, Government Relations, Breakfast Club of Canada

 

“Grumbling stomachs can have a major impact on kids in the classroom, affecting their self-esteem and hindering their ability to focus on their schoolwork. In collaboration with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders like the Breakfast Club of Canada, we are developing a National School Food Policy to deliver on our goal of giving kids healthy and bright futures. When kids have the nutritious food they need, they can stay focused on what matters most: learning and growing in the classroom.” — The Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

 

“Far too many children enter their classrooms hungry, and we’re committed to building on our National School Food Policy so every child can reach their full potential. Thank you to the Breakfast Club of Canada for your continued partnership on this important initiative.” — The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

 

“At a time when inflation is affecting families in Quebec and across Canada as they struggle to cope with increased financial pressure, 1.8 million children are living in a situation of food insecurity. These conditions are unacceptable, and as a society responsible for the well-being of our children, we have an obligation to remedy this situation quickly.” — Sylvie Bérubé, M.P. for Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou, Bloc Québécois and Critic for Children, Families, and Social Development

 

“Canada remains the only G7 country without a national school food program. It is long past time for the Liberal government to keep its promise, and invest in the creation of this program. No child should ever have to learn on an empty stomach. A national school meal program will help ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life and the nutritious food they need.” — Leah Gazan, M.P. for Winnipeg Centre, New Democratic Party and Critic for Children, Families, and Social Development

 

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

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Source: Breakfast Club of Canada

For more information: Eric Aach, eaach@national.ca, 514-569-3594

Breakfast Club of Canada Looks to Nourish the Potential of Tomorrow’s Adults this Holiday Season

In collaboration with the Rogers ALL IN program, the Club launches the “Fuelling the future with a nutritious breakfast” campaign

 

Boucherville, November 13, 2023 – As the Holiday season approaches, Breakfast Club of Canada is launching its new Fuelling the future with a nutritious breakfast campaign to highlight the importance of nourishing the potential of tomorrow’s adults, especially in a difficult current economic context. The campaign, which will also be broadcast across Rogers Sports & Media’s platforms as part of the ALL IN program, will run until December 31, 2023.

 

With the year drawing to a close, in Canada, 1 in 3 children is still at risk of going to school hungry. Demand and need for breakfast programs continue to grow, but for the time being, the Club will have to continue supporting existing programs due to the rising cost of food.

 

“As we all know, families, children and society at large continue to be greatly affected by the increase in costs of food and living,” explained Tommy Kulczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Breakfast Club of Canada. “That is why this campaign is so important, especially as we approach the Holiday season. This collaboration with Rogers allows us to get even greater visibility for the cause and help raise crucial funds. Now, more than ever, every gesture, large or small, helps fuel the future generation with a nutritious breakfast.”

 

A few months after children went back-to-school, the Club is observing an increase in attendance for existing programs. Indeed, breakfast programs are increasingly becoming important mechanisms for school communities to offer students a variety of nutritious foods. This giving season, the Club calls on everyone to give children the most important element to start the school day: a nutritious breakfast.

 

“The Fuelling the future with a nutritious breakfast campaign is a great opportunity to increase awareness for a cause that helps all children access nutritious food at school, regardless of the reason,” said Sharon Hinds, Manager All IN at Rogers Sports & Media. “We commit to leveraging our platforms to support Breakfast Club of Canada in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where children can reach their full potential, one breakfast at a time. We invite all stakeholders to join us on this journey by supporting the Club as they work towards reaching all children across the country.”

 

To find out more about the campaign and donate: https://www.breakfastclubcanada.org/holiday2023/

About Breakfast Club of Canada

Since 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has been working with partners from all sectors to help children access a nutritious breakfast and reach their full potential. Accredited by Imagine Canada for its effective governance and recognized for its promotion of local food products, the Club helps reach children in every province and territory across the country. To learn more, visit breakfastclubcanada.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

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For more information on Breakfast Club of Canada or to speak with a spokesperson:

Hermanie Desrosiers, hermanie.desrosiers@breakfastclubcanada.org

 

Helping Kids Grow Up Healthy: A Family Affair

Innovation, passion, vision and generosity are just a few of the things the Tsouflidou family has brought to the table as part of the 15-year partnership that connects Cora restaurants and Breakfast Club of Canada. We recently sat down with founder Cora Tsouflidou to reflect on everything that has been accomplished together. A lively and inspiring conversation ensued.

 

You’re known for your breakfasts, and so are we! What does breakfast mean to your family?

Breakfast has been our specialty for over 36 years now. I opened the first Cora restaurant on my 40th birthday, May 27, 1987. Since then, the first meal of the day has been the most important for me and my children. So many great things happened in that first 29-seat place of ours!

The kids and I learned quickly how to pull together. We took it upon ourselves to create a whole new breakfast experience, far beyond the traditional eggs-and-bacon combo. People went crazy for it.

By thinking outside the box, we changed how people look at breakfast and added a whole new dimension to our family life. We became a strong franchising team. It wasn’t long until we started reaching out to help those less fortunate and encouraged our franchisees to get involved in various charitable endeavours.

This year, BCC and Cora restaurants are celebrating 15 years of partnership. What motivated you to help nourish children’s potential?

A few days after my first grandson was born, a friend gave me this beautiful ceramic duck. It was almost as big as a real duck. It was all white, with a long neck, and the beak was painted bright yellow, the same yellow as the sun in the Cora logo. She had had a big fancy kitchen at one point, and the duck was her cookie jar. Holding this magnificent gift in my arms laid the seeds in my mind of what would eventually grow into the inspiration for the Cora Foundation.

The birth of my grandson got me thinking — and worrying. We had so little. How could we make sure he wouldn’t want anything later in life? I found the solution in the duck jar. Since my grandson weighed six pounds at birth, I decided to put six dollars into the duck’s belly at the end of every day. I kept it on a shelf behind the cash register. We’d close up, and the six dollars would go in with no small measure of pride.

That went on for three years until I opened the second restaurant. Then, it became six dollars per day per restaurant. When we opened the third, the amount tripled.

When we opted to invest in a fourth restaurant, we turned to the duck for a loan. We didn’t know it then, but we were building a chain that would end up feeding the entire country. We had no idea in 1991 what the years ahead would bring, but at least we no longer had to worry about our children’s future. So, we called it quits on the six-dollar-a-day idea and decided that when the time was right, the accumulated duck fund would be used to make the first donation to the Cora Foundation. Since then, we’ve helped children with more pressing needs than ours hundreds of times over.

As our business grew, so did these needs. We made the decision to direct all of our donations to the same place: Breakfast Club of Canada. For 15 years now, we have been working hand in hand with each of our franchisees to raise funds for the Club. Through us, our customers can help ensure children who come to school on an empty stomach have access to nutritious food. Since October 2019, we have been donating 50 cents to BCC every time someone orders “Breakfast for the Club” from the menu. It’s our way of helping children realize their full potential, one breakfast at a time. We also run several other campaigns during the year to make an even bigger difference. Our $1 breakfast for kids deal is just one example of what we do; every dollar goes to the Club.

Not only is Cora a Canadian success story — it’s a family business. What’s the secret to working together?

I opened my first restaurant because I desperately needed to make a living to feed my kids. Since we were short on money, we brought in all our pans and dishes from the house we had sold to get the business up and running. The restaurant also became the hub of our family life. My children and I would eat there twice a day, once early before school and around 5 p.m. On weekends, everybody worked at the restaurant, either in the kitchen or serving tables. Sure, we’d lose our temper occasionally, but love always conquered all in the end.

I kept up a pretty hectic pace back then, and my children were right there by my side, which spurred me on. I can’t imagine what my life would have been without them. I wasn’t exactly what you’d call a model mother. There wasn’t a modicum of work-life balance. But it was being a mom that gave me the courage to open my first restaurant, and I owe my success to everything that motherhood brought me: a dogged determination, a strong sense of responsibility and discipline, the ability to stay organized, the love of my family and a burning desire to make people feel happy and welcome, to take care of them and to teach my children to do the same. It wasn’t always easy for my kids to have a mother who worked all day long or to have to snap to attention when something needed to be done right away. But by the time we sat down for supper at night, we always enjoyed our time together.

The secret to any family business is love, listening to one another and being sensitive to everyone’s needs. I consider all our employees and franchisees part of the larger Cora family, and I’m proud to think that much of our success is due to this family feel. People need other people. We all have to do whatever we can to help those around us. My friend who gave me that ceramic duck back in the day inspired me to help as many children as possible.

What kind of breakfast helps kickstart your day?

My favourite breakfast is definitely the spinach and cheddar crêpe. Nobody thought it would catch on when I put it on the menu in 1988, but boy did it! Back then, spinach wasn’t really considered to be a breakfast food. But between Popeye and me, we’ve managed to turn a lot of people on to leafy greens in the morning.

Do you have a particularly moving child-related story or memory from your restaurant?

No one story comes to mind. But I remember seeing lots of pregnant women out here who’d come in a few weeks later to show me their newborns. I knew for sure they’d be back again and again. I’d always enjoy seeing them walk in with a second or even a third child!

The sun in our logo is one of my drawings. I also used to hand-draw the menus that we’d put up on the walls. I came up with the idea of having a frog as a mascot. Just because I love frogs, not because they have anything to do with breakfast. I drew a frog with a chef’s jacket and big green shoes called it Kiwi.

Children have always been and will continue to be our favourite customers. We’ve developed a special menu just for them, with over a dozen breakfast choices and lots of fun activities at the table. And a life-size Kiwi occasionally drops by our restaurants to make them smile.

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Our sincere thanks go out to Cora Tsouflidou and the Cora chain of restaurants for giving students across Canada an equal chance at success. You’re their steadfast commitment since 2008 has helped children flourish and grow into healthy adults. That’s the power of breakfast!

Want to learn more about Breakfast Club of Canada’s amazing community of supporters? We have lots more stories for you!  

Viviane Harbec: Key volunteer in the Antoine-Brossard program

How many young people do you know who have a key to their school?

Secondary 5 student Viviane Harbec is one of a precious few. The administration of Antoine-Brossard High School (Brossard, Quebec) had no reservations about trusting her with this responsibility so she could go about her duties as a highly dedicated breakfast program volunteer. 

 

At Antoine-Brossard, every morning kicks off on a cheerful note, with music and a long line of tables prepped and ready to receive breakfast-goers from the student body of about 1,800 teens. Frédéric Jacques, the school’s spiritual care and community involvement counsellor, Principal Éric Chevalier and Viviane herself are there to greet them.  

 

Viviane has been involved in the school’s breakfast program since it began in September 2020. She was just starting Secondary 3 and the project piqued her interest. At that point, the nascent program was limited to a grab-and-go model. But Viviane’s drive and determination helped turn it into a unique and convenient buffet-style operation. The prep work requires Viviane to come in earlier than anyone else, hence the need for the key. After the food has been put out and the tables set, she sticks around at the breakfast station, along with her fellow student volunteers, to ensure everything runs smoothly until the first bell rings and she heads off to class.  

 

It makes Viviane’s heart sing to see the smile breakfast brings to the faces of those who avail themselves of the program. That’s her primary motivation. At 16, she understands the importance of reaching out to those who might be going through a tough time or need an extra helping hand. Given her caring and compassionate nature, it’s not surprising to learn that she plans to enrol in a nursing program at a nearby CEGEP next year, making good on a dream she’s had since Grade 6.  

 

Since she won’t be around come September, Viviane has started to train other students who will succeed her in this role. And she will be finishing up her high school career and her time with the Club on a celebratory note: she received a letter in April informing her that she had been awarded a Lieutenant Governor’s Youth Medal in recognition of her outstanding community and social engagement. Her parents are understandably very proud of her commitment to making a difference in the lives of the people around her.  

 

On behalf of everyone here at Breakfast Club of Canada, we thank you, Viviane, for everything you’ve done, day in and day out, for your school breakfast program. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours. You definitely have a very bright future ahead of you! 

 

An Innovative Way to Promote Nutrition

Enfants en ligne pour petits déjeuners

In the past year, Kikino Elementary School in Alberta has let Breakfast Club of Canada know about some impactful steps they have taken to incorporate nutrition education into their daily routine. Their goal has been to normalize discussions around food in a way that respects culture and tradition. 

Devanture école Kikino

Informing the whole student community about nutrition starts first thing in the morning when the school includes a daily nutrition tip in their morning announcements. This means that all students are learning valuable information about the food they eat in a fun and casual way. And they are actually remembering what they hear! Principal Laurie Thompson reports that she often gets comments like, “I really like egg day. Eggs have 7 grams of protein and are a good brain food to start the morning!” As an added bonus, they are now more inclined to drink water and are more engaged in reading and understanding food labels. 

In addition to this initiative, the school highlights and celebrates those who bring in nutritious food for snacks. There is also a trade-in fridge where students can exchange a highly processed or sugary item for one that better supports a full day of learning.  

Kikino Elementary School has been able to introduce conversations around food in a positive manner that makes food part of the whole school community. The nutrition tip complements their daily breakfast program, and they’re thrilled with how these changes have impacted their students’ eating habits.  

 

Keep it up!