Niagara MPPs Asking Province to Help Local School Nutrition Programs

NDP MPPs Jennie Stevens and Wayne Gates are asking the Ford government to provide emergency funding for the Niagara Nutrition Partners program

Two of Niagara's NDP MPPs are asking the ford government to help school nutrition programs in the area. 

Wayne Gates and Jennie Stevens have sent a letter to Children, Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa, asking for emergency funding for the Niagara Nutrition Partners program. 

The program is experiencing a $400,000 shortfall, which has caused several programs to close. 

At Queen's Park today, Gates told Parsa funds are needed now in order to ensure children can access the service. 

"Niagara nutrition programs, which provide breakfasts, snacks and lunches to students, have been forced to close nutrition programs at 16 schools, with nearly 50 more being affected", Gates said. "They face a significant funding gap from the province as food prices soar."

Parsa replied by saying the Ford government has increased funding for school nutrition programs in Ontario. 

He also pointed to the NDP's support of the Carbon Tax, saying it's increasing the cost of living. 

The full letter is available below. 

Dear Minister Parsa,

We are writing to bring your attention to a matter of great concern - the current state of student nutrition programs in Ontario. These programs are an essential part of ensuring that students across the province have access to nutritious meals while at school. In Niagara in particular, these vitally important programs are rapidly running out of money and requires immediate action to ensure kids can keep accessing this service.

The Niagara Nutrition Partners program has a shortfall of over $400,000, which has resulted in the closure of 16 school nutrition programs and affected 49 programs across the Niagara Region. The program operates 201 programs that offer breakfast, snack, morning meal, and lunch across 3 school boards. With these closures, there are hundreds of kids unable to access these services right now.

It appears that The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has not meaningfully increased base funding for the program in an Ontario budget since 2014, despite historic inflation. As a result, many schools are struggling to provide adequate nutrition to their students this year, forcing many to fall below the Canada Food Guide, which is a standard for the service guidelines set out by your own Ministry. Investing in school nutrition programs is essential for our students’ well-being, and it is your responsibility to ensure that these programs are kept running, so all children have the chance to access nutritious meals.

Ontario is the only province in Canada that has not made meaningful base funding increases for our school nutrition programs within the last 24 months. Other provinces in Canada have recognized the importance of school nutrition programs and have increased funding accordingly. It is imperative that Ontario follow suit and invest in this critical program to ensure all students have access to nutritious meals.

We are calling for an immediate emergency increase in funding for school nutrition programs from the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services. We are also calling for you to provide us with a comprehensive, long-term solution to ensure these programs are sustainable for years to come.

Investing in this program is an investment in our children's health and well-being. Ensuring they are adequately resourced is crucial to building a healthier and more prosperous future for our province. We look forward to hearing your response and working with you towards a solution.

Sincerely, MPP Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) MPP Chandra Pasma (Ottawa West – Nepean) MPP Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain) NDP critic for Education NDP critic for Children, Community and Social Services