Item - 2023.HL4.2

The Board of Health recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the Medical Officer of Health to enter into agreements and other suitable arrangements, on behalf of the City of Toronto, for the transfer of funds to the Angel Foundation for Learning ($4,543.5 thousands) and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success ($13,094.9 thousands) for the purpose of administering the 2023 approved municipal funding (totalling $17,638.4 thousands) to eligible student nutrition programs across the City of Toronto on terms satisfactory to the Medical Officer of Health and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

2. City Council reiterate its requests to the Province of Ontario to increase its grant funding investment proportionally to match the increased City of Toronto investment and further request the Province of Ontario provide increased funding to address the inflationary cost of food.

3. City Council request the Government of Canada to provide details on progress toward their 2022 Federal Budget commitment "to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school" and inquire about whether the Government of Canada will consider increasing the Canada Child Benefit for lowest income families to prevent growing child food insecurity.

4. City Council request the Province of Ontario and Federal Government to fully fund Breakfast and Lunch Programs universally available in all publicly funded schools in the City of Toronto.

5. City Council endorse the "Joint Statement on Addressing the Rising Food Insecurity Facing Children and Youth in Ontario" in the submission provided by the Toronto Youth Cabinet (May 24, 2023) to the Board of Health, requesting the Provincial Government to provide a universal free school breakfast and lunch program to all Ontario students.

The Board of Health:

1. Reiterated its requests to the Province of Ontario to increase its grant funding investment proportionally to match the increased City of Toronto investment and further request the Province of Ontario provide increased funding to address the inflationary cost of food.

2. Requested the Government of Canada to provide details on progress toward their 2022 Federal Budget commitment "to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school" and inquired about whether the Government of Canada will consider increasing the Canada Child Benefit for lowest income families to prevent growing child food insecurity. 

3. Forwarded this report to the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, the federal Minister of Health, the provincial Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, the provincial Minister of Health, the provincial Minister of Education, the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, le Conseil scolaire Viamonde, le Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, the Angel Foundation for Learning, the Daily Bread Food Bank, and United Way Greater Toronto.

4. Endorsed the "Joint Statement on Addressing the Rising Food Insecurity Facing Children and Youth in Ontario" in the submission provided by the Toronto Youth Cabinet (May 24, 2023) to the Board of Health, requesting the Provincial Government to provide a universal free school breakfast and lunch program to all Ontario students.

5. Requested the Medical Officer of Health, in collaboration with the Toronto Foundation for Student Success and the Angel Foundation for Learning, to reaffirm the guiding principle of universality in the delivery of student nutrition programs with schools and community sites that receive funding from the City of Toronto.

6. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to:

a. Share with the provincial and federal governments the evidence that demonstrates the positive health, learning and behavioural outcomes of student nutrition programs for students, as well as the opportunities that these programs provide to students, guardians and volunteers; and

b. Explore with partners further opportunities to realize this full spectrum of benefits in the delivery of the program in Toronto. 

The Director, Finance and Administration, Toronto Public Health gave a presentation on 2023 Student Nutrition Program Service Subsidies.

Student nutrition programs are meal and snack programs offered primarily in school settings. They help to ensure that children and youth at risk for poor nutritional intake have access to safe, adequate, and culturally appropriate nutritious food. Research shows that when students eat healthy meals at school they focus better, score higher marks in reading, math and science, and are more likely to graduate high school. Students also have the opportunity to develop healthier eating habits, which can lower rates of childhood obesity and overweight.

The Student Nutrition Program has two streams: the Public Schools Stream, which is for public schools and a few grandfathered independent schools and community sites, and the Independent Schools Stream. Student nutrition programs depend on funding from the City of Toronto (the City), the Province of Ontario (the Province), student and parent contributions, community fundraising, school board fundraising, and corporate donations. Additional funding and support from the federal and provincial governments is needed to meet the needs of students and ensure sustainable programs.

This report outlines recommendations for the 2023 Student Nutrition Program service subsidy allocations, which includes an approved 5.0 percent cost of food inflationary increase of $827.1 thousands from the 2022 approved budget for the Public Schools Stream. The funding envelope for the Independent School Stream has sufficient funding to support a 5.0 percent cost of food increase. The proposed combined allocations to the Angel Foundation for Learning (AFL) and the Toronto Foundation for Student Success (TFSS) are for the purpose of administering the 2023 approved municipal funding to eligible student nutrition programs across the City of Toronto and total $17,638.4 thousands, which includes $245.9 thousands held in reserve for appeals/late applications.