Canada’s national school food program has been widely applauded — and rightly so. Feeding children who arrive at school hungry improves concentration, attendance, and short-term learning outcomes. The evidence is clear and uncontested. But as the program moves from announcement to long-term policy, an important question deserves far more attention: are we feeding children — or are we teaching them about food?

Near the end of 2025, the federal government announced that the National School Food Program will be made permanent, with ongoing annual funding planned to begin in the 2029–30 fiscal year. Between now and then, the program is being rolled out gradually through bilateral agreements with provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners. Implementation will unfold over several school years as delivery capacity expands.

This phased approach reflects jurisdictional and infrastructure realities. It also underscores a fundamental point: the program is designed as a supplement, not a universal system.

Ottawa has said the program will reach “up to 400,000 children.” That figure was not derived from a national assessment of need. It is a funding-based estimate — what the allocated budget can reasonably support once costs are spread across regions, providers, and school boards. In economic terms, the number reflects fiscal capacity, not entitlement. Most of Canada’s........

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