News Release
April 2, 2024 – Brampton, Ontario
Everyone deserves a fair, accessible, and healthy future – from kids, to parents, to grandparents. It’s why in our budget for 2024 we are supporting families by building an economy that helps every generation get ahead.
Nearly one in four children in Canada face the impacts of food insecurity on their health, ability to learn, and opportunities to grow. Higher grocery prices are affecting the ability for parents to afford to put enough good, healthy food on the table. When kids eat well, they do better in school. And when kids do well, that sets them up for success in school and as they grow into adults.
Since 2015, our Canada Child Benefit, which provides families nearly $8,000 per year, per child, has lifted 650,000 children out of poverty. Since the program’s launch, Canada’s child poverty rate has fallen by more than half.
And we’re going to keep going. On April 1st 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced an investment of $1 billion over five years in the new National School Food Program. This Program will launch alongside already existing school food programs with a target of providing meals to 400,000 more kids every year. This is a generational investment in the future of our kids and their families. We’re going to work in partnership with provinces and territories and Indigenous partners to ensure every child has the food they need.
Study after study has shown that the lack of access to food disproportionately impacts children from lower-income families and from racialized and Indigenous communities. We are putting healthy food on the plates of kids across Canada from all affected backgrounds.
The new National School Food Program will help provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners expand their existing school food programs to make sure they are culturally relevant and that more children across the country can enjoy the healthy meals they need. The Program is good for parents and kids, and it’s good for the economy as well. It will improve children’s health, education, and wellbeing while taking pressure off families.
Last week, we announced measures to protect renters and create more affordable childcare spaces. This is on top of our actions to improve health care and dental care, strengthen pensions, and increase access to medications.
No matter your background or income, we are working to make sure you have what you need to be healthy. We all depend on Canada’s future success. And Canada’s success depends on the youngest generations being healthy and set up to succeed.
“Children in Brampton South and across Canada will now have access to good, healthy food to support their education and wellbeing. We are not just investing in their health today; we are investing in their future and the future of Canada.”
-Sonia Sidhu, Member of Parliament for Brampton South
“Since 2015, we’ve reduced child poverty from 16.3 per cent to just 6.4 per cent in 2021 – lifting 650,000 kids out of poverty. Today, the rising price of groceries is making it tough for families, especially Millennial parents, to afford the food their kids need. To make sure every kid gets their fair chance at a great start in life, we’re launching a $1 billion National School Food Program to help another 400,000 kids get the food they need to thrive.”
-The Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
“We’re creating a National School Food Program because kids learn better on a full stomach. This Program will have an incredible impact, supporting parents with the higher cost of groceries, and giving children every opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.”
-The Hon. Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
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