CALGARY — Federal researchers will spend $12.6 million to determine whether Ottawa’s $1 billion National School Food Program is delivering the health, educational and social benefits previously claimed by the Trudeau government.The Canadian Institutes of Health Research acknowledged that evidence about the program’s effects in Canada remains incomplete, according to an internal memo obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter.“Canadian Institutes of Health Research recognizes that school food programs boost children’s health and learning while delivering strong returns on spending and helping build lifelong healthy eating habits,” said the April 28 memo, National School Food Program. “However, more data are needed to better understand the impact of school food programs in a Canadian context.”The agency said it and its partners will spend more than $12 million on research over three years beginning in 2027.“This spending will support research which explores the impact of school food programs with an emphasis on health, socioeconomic factors, equitable outcomes and the effect on indigenous communities,” said the memo.The Trudeau cabinet launched the National School Food Program in 2024 with $1 billion in funding over five years.“This is a game changer,” then-prime minister Justin Trudeau said when the program was announced. “It will help 400,000 more Canadian children have something to eat.”However, data from existing provincial programs suggested providing daily meals to 400,000 children could cost twice as much as the federal government had budgeted.“There are 180 school days,” Judith Barry, co-founder of The Breakfast Club, testified before the Senate national finance committee in 2024. “We would need billions.”.Ottawa orders $1.3m study to justify $1b school food program .Cabinet has not released data substantiating its claim that the program would provide food to an additional 400,000 children.An Inquiry of Ministry tabled in the House of Commons on November 18 acknowledged that final reporting from provinces and territories was not yet complete.Asked how many students had received meals through the program, the government replied: “Reporting requirements for these partners do not include this breakdown.”The document was tabled in response to a question from Conservative MP Matt Strauss, who represents the Ontario riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler. Strauss asked how many meals had been funded through the program since 2024.The Institutes of Health Research said funding intended to measure the program’s actual effects is expected to begin in January 2027.“This is being done through the launch of funding research for evidence in school food and health team grants, $12.6 million over three years supporting up to 14 grants,” said the memo.The funding will be divided among three research categories.Researchers will receive $3.6 million to examine the health, well-being and socioeconomic effects of school food programs, while another $3.6 million will study equitable policy, program design and delivery.A further $2.7 million will be available to examine the impact of school food programs on First Nations, Inuit and Métis students and communities.The memo said an additional $2.7 million would be available for applications in the first two categories that align with the mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada.Applications for the research funding close in October 2026, with the successful projects expected to begin receiving federal money in January 2027.
