Ottawa pledges $7M to help expand P.E.I.'s school food program

The federal government is contributing $7.1 million over the next three years to help expand Prince Edward Island's school food program, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday morning on CBC's Island Morning. 

The money will go straight into the province's program to make it "truly universal," Trudeau told host Mitch Cormier.  

"This is about taking pressure off of families, making sure they know that no matter how rushed they are in the morning, there is going to be good, high-quality, nutritious food there for their kids every single day if they need it." 

The funding comes from the federal government's five-year, $1-billion national school food program.  

In a news release, the federal government said the funding "will provide over 1,500 more kids with healthy lunches, and over 800 more kids with healthy breakfasts and snacks this school year. With this agreement, a two-child family in Prince Edward Island will save $800 in grocery bills a year on average." 

Overall, the Trudeau government expects the funding will result in around 480,000 more meals served to kids in P.E.I. this school year, according to the release.

The P.E.I. government pays around $6 million annually to the non-profit that runs the school food program on the Island. Additional revenue comes from fees paid by families.  

Officials with the P.E.I. school food program have said demand is up 14 per cent this year, though the number of families contributing to the pay-what-you-can service has gone down: 

• 68 per cent make zero payment.
• 19 per cent make a partial payment.
• 13 per cent pay the full cost of $5.75 per meal.

The school food program served almost 850,000 meals in the 2023-24 school year, 40 per cent more than it had the year before.

The P.E.I. government has said it has no intention of eliminating the fees, something Opposition parties have called for.

PM visits P.E.I. to announce funding help for province's school food program

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Duration 1:51

The federal government is promising $7.1 million over three years to expand P.E.I.'s school food program, which provides snacks, breakfasts and lunches at little to no cost.

"This is a reflection of what's happening in society. People are hungry and they can't afford food during this time, and it's just being reflected in the school food program," Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly told CBC News earlier this week. 

"This government had underspent by $70 million in the last budget … so they have the money to do it. Just make the program free, it's that simple." 

Program helps P.E.I. families and the economy

During Friday's funding announcement at Mount Stewart Consolidated School, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King said the money will help Island families and the provincial economy. 

"This infusion of federal funding will allow us to establish new food hubs across the province, which will make meals more accessible and affordable for Island families," King said. 

"The procurement of local food… not only provides those fresh healthy meals but it supports Island farmers, it spurs economic activity, it creates jobs in our communities, many of which would be maybe not operating because of the seasonal nature of our tourism."   

Last June, the Department of Education said it was launching a full review of the school food program, including the funding model. 

The pay-what-you-can system last year recovered about 20 per cent of the program's cost.