School Food Program Research

In 2024, the Government of Canada committed $1 billion over five years to implement a National School Food Policy, aiming to expand access to school food programs for 400,000 children across the country. All provinces and territories have signed on to participate in this initiative. 

Prior to this commitment, Canada was the only G7 nation without a national school food program. In addition, there was a lack of research on the delivery and evaluation of such programs in Canada. To address this gap in research, President's Choice Children's Charity provided a donation of $2 million to the Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition to support the Feeding Kids, Nourishing Minds School-based Research Initiative. This series of studies focuses on improving understanding and effectiveness of school-based nutrition programs in Canada. 

Through additional funding from the Schad Foundation and the Brian & Joannah Lawson Family Foundation, the Lawson Centre is leading the piloting and evaluation of school food programs in Canada to lay the foundation for a national school food program and provide evidence-based recommendations and resources to key school food program stakeholders including policy-makers, school boards, schools and school food program implementers.