The Trudeau government repeated its promise to launch a school lunch program at an event in Toronto on Monday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland promised $1 billion over five years which they said is enough for 400,000 children.
The national program will "take pressure off of families, invest directly in the future of our kids and make sure they're able to reach their full potential — feeling healthy and happy," Trudeau said in a statement.
Trudeau first made the promise in 2021.
Canada is the only G7 country that does not have a national school food program, according to the Breakfast Club of Canada. Advocates have argued that a national program is needed to fill gaps left by a patchwork of provincial, local and charitable programs that are under strain due to low resources and high food prices.
Experience in the United States indicates that a national program will trigger intense lobbying by farm commodity groups to have their products included.
