School lunch pilot rolls out in Yukon, some say gaps remain

The Yukon government is rolling out a universal school lunch pilot, though an Indigenous education organization helping deliver the program says there are still gaps in the territory’s school nutrition programming.

The government announced earlier this week it’s launching the pilot program across seven Yukon schools, helping feed approximately 850 students.

The rollout is part of the federal government’s National School Food Program, which seeks to improve students’ access to nutritious food. Canada is investing $7.36 million over three years into the territory’s school food programs.

The Yukon First Nation Education Directorate (YFNED), a First Nations-led education organization, is implementing the pilot, which will be in place until March 2027.

Courtney Wheelton, director of YFNED’s First Nations Initiatives, said the program is the first of its kind in the Yukon to offer free lunches to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

“It’s taking a real step forward and getting us closer to being able to offer school food for every student,” she said. “Nutrition is a building block for health and development. You can’t learn if you’re hungry.”

Renee Mills, project manager with Yukon’s department of Education for the National School Food Program, said the government’s focus right now is on a phased rollout.

That means about 20 other schools aren’t participating in the pilot – at least not yet.

Mills said that includes collecting data and addressing logistical challenges to better understand what works – and what doesn’t – before it can make decisions about next steps.

She said not all Yukon schools were engaged in the pilot, and the current federal funding being offered only allows it to adequately fund a handful of schools.

“A phased rollout allows us to do things in a good way, in a way that’s sustainable for future,” she said.

Mills noted that if all schools were included, the dollar amount allocated to feed students would be less than $2 a day.

“Roughly $9 to $12 is what has been projected at the amount that is required to feed students in a healthy, nutritious way,” she said.

Wheelton noted another challenge is infrastructure, as some schools don’t have kitchens and are unable to produce hot lunches on-site.

“It also gives us the opportunity to look at schools that perhaps have no kitchen facilities, and if we’re able to produce meals off-site and then transfer them to the school,” she said.

Loss of rural nutrition program still being felt, says YFNED

But Wheelton said gaps remain.

YFNED previously ran a rural nutrition program that offered a daily hot lunch – as well as breakfast and snacks – to 900 Indigenous children.

The program helped feed vulnerable Indigenous children in rural communities experiencing food insecurity.

But YFNED was forced to cut the program last fall after Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) decided it no longer qualified for funding under Jordan’s Principle.

The decision stemmed from changes made to Jordan’s Principle last year to tighten eligibility for non-urgent requests, a move YFNED has appealed.

Wheelton said while some rural communities have found ways to continue the program, such as through donations from mining companies, she noted they’re not likely long-term solutions.

“It’s a program that has had such success and has had such positive impact. So, to have that taken away has been heartbreaking,” she said.

Wheelton said while the new pilot program is a move in the right direction, it doesn’t replace what was lost.

“(The pilot) is able to offer lunch, but at this point in time, given the budget and the constraints, it’s just a lunch program. It’s not able to offer breakfast or snacks or any of those other supports,” she said.

Wheelton said she would love to see a universal school food program for all students in the future.

“Hopefully, seeing this pilot project, maybe there’s an opportunity to have all partners come to the table collaboratively and to make something work for all students,” she said.

The pilot program is expected to launch in the next few months.