Toronto student nutrition programs face 'critical year' due to rising food prices

With students heading back to school across Torontothis week, education workers say they are feeling the pinch as breakfast and lunch programs face a funding shortfalldue to the risingcost of food.

This school year, the Ontario Student Nutrition Program, a network made up of 14 agencies across the province thatprovides free daily breakfasts, snacks and lunches, is expecting to serve 221,000 students in Toronto this year.

But Catherine Parsonage, CEO of Toronto Foundation for Student Success and the co-chair ofStudent NutritionOntario, saysthe volunteer-run local programs may be forced to operate atreduced capacity.

"This will be the most critical year that student nutrition programs, breakfast, lunchand snackprograms have ever faced," Parsonage said.

"The need and the demand is increasing exponentially among students, and the cost of food is out of control."

Parsonage is referring to food prices thatrose 9.7 per cent in Mayin Canadacompared to the previous year, with the cost of meat,fruits and vegetables, as well aspantry staples like flour and cooking oilrising30 per cent.

That in turn is pushing up the price ofdaily meals thathelp at-risk studentsgain accessto nutritious food. Parsonage said it not only affects their physical and mental well-being but it also drastically affects their behaviour at school.

Parsonage said a 500-calorie breakfast which typically includes a vegetable or fruit, proteinand whole grainsused to cost between $1 to $1.20. Now, she says that price has gone up to $2.00.

The local programs, which are funded by Student Nutrition Ontario, the provinceand donationsare also receiving$16.84 millionfrom the City of Torontofor the school year. The figureincludes a 2.5 per cent increasefrom last year, which was approved by city council to address the highercosts.

TheMinistry of Children, Community and Social Services says theprovince is also investing $27.9 million in the Student Nutrition Program this school year.

"We recognize the important role that nutrition plays in learning and development,"said Jennifer Rushby, a spokesperson for the ministry, in a statement to CBC Toronto.

"That is why the government invests in the Ontario Student Nutrition Program to help provide healthy breakfasts, snacks and lunches to school-aged children across the province, so they are ready to learn, develop healthy eating habits and feel a sense of belonging at school."

But Parsonage says the current funding doesn't nearly cover the cost.

"Even together, between the provincial funding and the city funding, programs are getting about 25 cents a meal on average," Parsonage said.

Khudaija Sheikh, director of operations attheAlbionNeighbourhood Services Boys & GirlsClub, located in Toronto's west end near Finch Avenue West and Islington Avenue,said the breakfast programs theclub hasbeen running for 25 yearsare crucial to the community.

"Many of these children come from a low-income families. They are fighting food insecurities and they have complex barriers that they face," Sheikh said.

The programs, which operateat Greenholme Junior Middle School and North Kipling Junior Middle School in Etobicoke, serve roughly 150 students.

"The nutrition program is one of the programs that is chronically underfunded," she said.

"We need more supports from not only the local community, from our volunteers, but also from provincial and federal levels as well," she added.

"Because it is very important that we create those lasting changes for our children."