Food insecurity in Canada: 1 in 3 children risks going to school without breakfast

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused food insecurity in Canada to grow as well as highly disrupted food support systems, with student nutrition being one of them. This file photo was taken in 2019. (Breakfast Club of Canada)

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This story is part of a four-part series titled A Healthy Start and is sponsored by Breakfast Club of Canada, reaching 500,000 children in more than 3,000 programs in school and community settings each day.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused food insecurity in Canada to grow as well as highly disrupted food support systems, with student nutrition being one of them.

“Before the pandemic, Breakfast Club of Canada estimated that one in four children was at risk of going to school hungry; this number is now one in three,” said Judith Barry, co-founder and director of government relations for the organization.

“Nearly two million children in Canada are now at risk of going to school hungry due to a variety of reasons, and we’ve witnessed that situation with our stakeholders across the country. We’re seeing more students attending our programs as food costs are increasing, so school food programming is highly impacted by the pandemic.”

Breakfast Club of Canada has been providing breakfast programs in school communities since 1994, when it first began in Quebec.

In 2005, it expanded across the country on a mission to ensure every child in Canada receives two key elements for learning: a nutritious breakfast and a nourishing environment. It currently operates 3,361 school breakfast programs from coast to coast to coast and has a waiting list of 600 schools that are eager to implement the program for their students.

According to the 12th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report, food costs are projected to rise in Canada by five to seven per cent in 2022, meaning the average family of four will see their annual grocery bill go up by $966. The increase is due to the rising costs of labour, transportation and commodity processes. Higher food costs mean food insecurity for vulnerable populations is likely to worsen over the coming months.

Barry believes a national school food program is the most effective and sustainable way to ensure daily access to nutritious food for all children across the country. “During the pandemic for the first time in our history the Government of Canada has invested in school food programing through emergency food security funding. This was the first time that they were intentionally allocating funds to school food programming, so I think it helps us and all other student nutrition stakeholders to build momentum and a case for permanent funding and sustainable solutions towards this issue,” said Barry.

The health and education benefits of students receiving a nutritious meal at school are not only impacting the children themselves, but the school community as a whole, from the classroom to the playground to the principal’s office.

Barry says that she regularly hears from school administrators about the positive ripple effects that occur when school meal programs are implemented.

“When a child can concentrate and be engaged and focused towards learning, it helps the school team as a whole. They’re seeing behavioral improvements, academic achievements and learning abilities increased and the overall school climate is impacted,” she noted.