Toronto, Ontario, April 1, 2024 – Breakfast Club of Canada eagerly welcomes the historic announcement made by the Government of Canada today regarding an investment of billion over five years for a National School Food Program. This significant advancement marks a turning point in the country’s commitment to the well-being of all children and will help make life more affordable for families across Canada while 1 in 3 children is at risk of going to school on an empty stomach.
Tommy Kulczyk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Breakfast Club of Canada, as well as Judith Barry, Co-Founder and Director of Government Relations were present alongside Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance, Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, during the official announcement event held in Toronto. Their participation in this event highlights the important role that the Club plays as a key school nutrition organization on a national scale.
Since its foundation in 1994, Breakfast Club of Canada has worked tirelessly to highlight the importance of a nutritious breakfast every morning for all children. The Club’s close collaboration with the Government of Canada, its public, community and private partners, as well as its continued dedication to improving access to nutritious food for students, helped pave the way for this important announcement.
“The creation of a National School Food Program is a major step forward for the well-being of children, especially after a few difficult years due to inflation and the pandemic. We are extremely proud that the federal government has recognized Breakfast Club of Canada’s expertise and dedication. This trust demonstrates the impact of our work and our long-standing commitment to ensuring that every school-aged child across the country has access to the nutritious foods essential to reach their full potential. Canada is now giving itself the means to allow all children to flourish and transform their dreams into reality,” comments Tommy Kulczyk.
“After years of collaboration and representation with the government, we are witnessing the start of an important transformation for the future of young people,” states Judith Barry. “Under the leadership of Minister Jenna Sudds, supported by the commitment of her predecessors and the significant support of our community partners, we are taking a crucial step. For too long, Canada has been the only G7 country without a National School Food Program. We are delighted to see that the government has finally understood the considerable impact that such a program will have on the well-being and future of children and their families. Today, the unmistakable winners are above all the children who will be able to benefit from nutritious food at school.”
Breakfast Club of Canada will work in the coming weeks and months with the federal, provincial and territorial governments, municipal and school administrations, Indigenous partners, as well as organizations already working in school nutrition, on the next steps to implement a National School Food Program.
National School Food Program Timeline
1994: Founding of Breakfast Club of Canada and implementation of the first breakfast program at Lionel-Groulx School in Longueuil (Quebec), reaching nearly 100 children.
2006: Implementation of the first breakfast program supported by the Club outside Quebec.
2007: Implementation of the first program supported by the Club in an Indigenous community (Schefferville, Quebec).
2010: Launch of the 1000th program supported by the Club in Canada, reaching more than 80,000 children.
2017: At the initiative of the Club, the 19th Global Child Nutrition Forum was held in Canada. At this time, the Club now reached 203,000 children in more than 1,500 programs across the country.
2019: For the first time, the federal government mentions a national school food program in the budget. The Club now reaches 243,000 children in 1,800 programs.
2021: During the federal elections, the Liberal Party of Canada included the establishment of a National School Food Program with funding of one billion over 5 years as an electoral promise in its platform.
2022: Consultations on a National School Food Policy were launched at a Breakfast Club of Canada event with the Karina Gould, former Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
2023: Publication of the What We Heard Report by the Government of Canada on a National School Food Policy and the introduction of Bill C-322 concerning the development of a national framework to establish a school food program.
2024: Official announcement regarding the creation of a National School Food Program. To date, the Club reaches 420,000 children in 3,000 programs, including 45,000 children from Indigenous communities.
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, X and LinkedIn.
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Source: Breakfast Club of Canada
Information: Eric Aach, eaach@national.ca, 514-569-3594
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