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Vancouver Sun

Vancouver city councillors look to reinstate funding for school meal programs

Article content Councillors Peter Fry and Rebecca Bligh have introduced a motion asking the City of Vancouver to reinstate its funding for meal programs in the school district. Article content Article content Since 2014, the city has provided $320,000 from its annual operating budget to support 3,500 meals each weekday through various programs, including the Food4Schools lunch program, which subsidizes meals to 258 students across 17 schools. Article content Article content Earlier this month, the city announced a reduction in its funding from $320,000 in 2024 to just $162,500 in 2025, citing 'significant budget pressures' and anticipation of 'substantive funding' from the province. Article content Article content However, Fry said, 'It has become apparent that the province is not providing the level of funding that was expected.' Article content In March 2025, the B.C. Government entered into an agreement with the Government of Canada through the National School Food Program (NSFP), which provides approximately $39 million over three years in additional school food program funding. But Fry and Bligh are concerned that the way the province is allocating the money will leave gaps impacting kids in Vancouver. Article content 'There was an expectation that this new funding from the feds was to be distributed by the province and replace the funding the city of Vancouver was providing, but the province had a different funding model in mind.' Article content Fry said that the funding will be allocated using a provincial formula socioeconomic status index for each school within the district. Article content Article content The 'needs assessment' model 'can inadvertently exclude some individuals who may not meet strict eligibility criteria but still experience food insecurity,' said Fry. Article content Article content Shortly after the city announced their cuts to the Vancouver School District meals programs, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and Nicola Wealth announced a joint donation of $170,000 to make up the shortfall and support the continuation of the Food4Schools program. Article content 'We are very grateful that Nicola Wealth and the Food Bank are doing this,' said Fry, but he said it's important to ensure the city's funding is reinstated, and continues on a long-term basis. Article content Article content 'We would like to reinstate the funding so kids don't go hungry,' said Fry. 'I see a lot of hungry kids in my neighbourhood Strathcona, and that contributes to kids struggling in school. It's about concentration and focus on schoolwork, and when you are hungry, it's a lot harder.'