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Alberta students will continue to benefit from expanded access to nutritious meals as the provincial and federal governments strengthen their commitment to school food programs through the Canada-Alberta National School Food Program.

The initiative is designed to ensure that students arrive at school nourished, focused and prepared to learn, while also helping ease financial pressures on families across the province.

With action plans now established for Years 2 and 3 of the agreement, Alberta is expanding access to school nutrition programs through an almost $43 million federal-provincial partnership. More than $17.4 million will be invested in the 2025–26 school year, followed by over $17.6 million in 2026–27 to help schools strengthen and expand meal programs for students.

"No child should have to try to learn on an empty stomach," said Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides. "This investment, alongside federal funding, will help ensure more students across Alberta are nourished, supported and ready to succeed in the classroom."

The funding complements Alberta's existing School Nutrition Program, which receives $20 million annually from the provincial government. The program currently provides approximately 58,000 students in participating schools with access to a nutritious meal each day.

Federal officials say the partnership is intended to build on those efforts and broaden access to healthy food for children throughout the province.

"In partnership with the Government of Alberta, Canada's National School Food Program is expanding access to nutritious food for students across the province, helping children succeed in the classroom and easing costs for families," said Anna Gainey, Secretary of State for Children and Youth. "We are making sure more students have the healthy food they need to learn, grow and thrive."

School boards and eligible public charter schools will be able to use the funding to cover food costs, staffing expenses and program administration, helping ensure that more students can begin each school day well-fed and ready to learn.

Chris Andrew, Chair of Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, emphasized the long-term benefits of the initiative.

"When students have nutritious food, they learn better," Andrew said. "These school grants provide schools an opportunity to teach students about what makes a nutritious meal and helps create lifelong healthy eating habits."

Non-profit organizations will also play an important role in supporting school nutrition efforts. Alberta's government is providing $500,000 through the Innovation and Best Practices in School Nutrition grant to organizations including Apple Schools, Farm to Cafeteria Canada and Breakfast Club of Canada.

These groups will identify successful approaches already being used in school nutrition programs across Alberta and share their findings with school boards during the 2026–27 school year.

Quick Facts

• Alberta ratified the Canada-Alberta National School Food Program Agreement for 2024–2027 in March 2025.
• Nearly $43 million has been secured under the three-year agreement.
• More than $35 million will be distributed to school jurisdictions during the 2025–26 and 2026–27 school years.
• Alberta is collecting data from school boards to assess the impact of the federal funding, with the next report expected by January 31, 2027.

For more information about Alberta’s School Nutrition Program, visit the Government of Alberta website at www.alberta.ca/school-nutrition-program.

Information for this article was sourced from the Government of Alberta website.