By Times Chronicle Staff
BC has committed to further partner local growers and food producers in a bid to get more local food in schools as the province and federal government reach an agreement to enhance school food programs.
Under the agreement, the Government of Canada will invest approximately $39.4 million over the next three years to enhance school food programs in the province to feed more children, including in rural and remote areas.
The agreement will enable the province to enhance school food programs for 90,000 children in just over 1,000 schools across the province this school year. Families in BC with two children in school can save an estimated $800 in grocery bills a year on average, the province said.
The investment was announced by Jenna Sudds, federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and Lisa Beare, BC’s Minister of Education and Child Care.
“Now more than ever, families are choosing to eat local, and this is reflected in BC’s school food programming, which aims to build strong community partnerships with local growers and food producers to see more BC food in schools, ultimately investing back in local economic growth, where possible,” the province said.
The two levels of government said the investment will also see improvements to school food programs such as increasing the number students served, purchasing much-needed school kitchen equipment, and increasing the nutrition of school meals which will provide more inclusive menu options that take into account dietary restrictions and cultural preference.
