Employment and Social Development Canada
Nunavut Kids to Receive More Healthy Meals
February 28, 2025 Apex, Nunavut Employment and Social Development Canada
No kid should go to school hungry, no matter where they live. In Nunavut, where food prices are among the highest in the country and supply chains are complex, feeding kids at school is not always a simple task. But we must show up for every child in need.
Today, the Honourable Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the Honourable P.J. Akeeagok, Premier of Nunavut, the Honourable Pamela Gross, Minister of Education for the Government of Nunavut, and the Honourable John Main, Minister of Health for the Government of Nunavut, announced an agreement that will enable Nunavut to enhance its existing school food programming, which currently serves more than 11,000 students across the territory.
The National School Food Program is a safety net for the kids who need this support the most. Kids in the North, most of whom are Indigenous, face very particular challenges and high food insecurity, and this will help level the playing field and give every child the chance to reach their full potential. As part of this agreement, the Government of Canada will invest approximately $7.6 million over the next three years. This investment will mean necessary upgrades to kitchen facilities, hiring staff, more nutritious meals, and access to traditional foods, such as lingonberries, cloudberries, caribou, salmon, cod – foods that nourish children while keeping cultural connections strong.
Building a National School Food Program that works for families is part of the federal government’s commitment to help make life more affordable for families across the country so they can focus on raising their kids. We’re creating more middle-class jobs, building more homes, expanding affordable dental care and creating more affordable child care spots-so they can buy the things they need and save for the things they want.
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/news/2025/02/more-healthy-meals-for-kids-in-nunavut.html