New Brunswick is preparing to launch a pay-what-you-can school lunch program across the province this fall, with the goal of making nutritious meals available to all students.
Credit: Element5 Digital
The program is set to begin in September. Families will pay $4 per meal for students in kindergarten to Grade 8 and $5 per meal for students in grades 9 to 12. For families who cannot afford the cost, full subsidies will be available through support from community organizations and the government. Families who are able to contribute more will also have that option.
Premier Susan Holt said students are better able to focus when they are not hungry, adding that the program is also meant to help make life more affordable for New Brunswick families.
Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson said the program is expected to support student engagement and improve overall results. She also pointed to the role of food service providers and community groups in helping deliver the meals.
A prototype version of the lunch program is already running in selected schools. The province says this will help prepare for the full rollout in September and show whether changes are needed.
Jane Buckley, executive director of the Oromocto Food Bank, said rising living costs have left more New Brunswick families facing food insecurity. She said access to both breakfast and lunch at school can help ensure vulnerable students do not go hungry.
The government has set aside $26 million for the program in 2026-27, including $7 million in new funding.
The lunch program will run alongside the existing universal breakfast program, supported by a $2-million annual provincial investment and $11 million over three years from the federal National School Food Program.
Families using both programs are expected to save between $900 and $2,000 a year.