Many Nova Scotia students going hungry at school, advocates say

People who advocate for healthy food for youth in Nova Scotia say more students are going hungry at school, despite the province's minister of education stating otherwise.

Education Minister Becky Druhan told officials at Province House last week that "every student who needs food in schools gets food in schools." 

According to Lindsay Corbin, co-ordinator of the Nova Scotia Coalition for Healthy School Food with Nourish Nova Scotia, this is not the case. 

"There are absolutely more students in schools that are coming without having had breakfast, or coming without a packed lunch, or don't have the funds to purchase lunch at school," Corbin. "That issue is absolutely increasing exponentially." 

The Nova Scotia government provides $1.7 million to "support healthy food in schools," according to its website. But Corbin said she's already heard from some schools that have used up most of their annual budget, and it's only October. 

Ryan Lutes, president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, said he often hears from teachers having to buy lunches for their students.

"With the affordability crisis that we're in, already vulnerable students are now even more vulnerable," he said. 

Corbin and Lutes both point to a key issue – identifying the need. 

"It takes a lot for a student to put up their hand and say, 'Sir, I don't have food today,'" said Lutes. "They're kind of volunteering as saying, 'I'm in poverty and my family is struggling,' and not every student is going to do that, nor should they have to do that." 

They say a universal lunch program, available to all students, is the only way to avoid this. 

"Learning … is very linked to nutrition, and none of us can think on an empty stomach," said Corbin. "So, having a lunch program in Nova Scotia would really support children's learning, it would support their health and it would help take the pressure off of family budgets." 

While the province does offer a universal breakfast program in schools, Corbin said many schools are only able to offer snacks like granola bars or a piece of fruit, rather than a balanced meal. 

After Druhan's comment in the legislature, NDP Leader Claudia Chender called out, "It is a lie," suggesting that Druhan was wrong about all kids having food in schools. 

Speaker of the House Karla MacFarlane asked Chender to retract her statement for using "unparliamentary language." Chender apologized for her use of the word "lie," but stood by her statement. She was then asked to leave the chamber. 

In an interview Thursday, Chender said her party advocates for all students to have access to at least one healthy meal a day at school. 

"I know it's not true that every student across the province has access to healthy, nutritious food," said Chender.

"At a certain point, as an elected leader, as someone who represents a lot of people, as someone who talks to people on almost a daily basis who are facing massive challenges putting food on the table, it just felt important to be honest." 

On Tuesday, Nova Scotia opposition parties tabled legislation pertaining to food in schools.

The NDP asked for the province to provide at least one meal per school day by the start of next school year. The Liberals re-introduced their ask for a universal lunch program for all public school students in grades primary to nine. 

Calling on the feds

Tim Houston's government has been quoted multiple times calling out the federal Liberals, who had promised to fund a national school food policy but left it out of the 2023 federal budget. 

But Chender said "there's no time to wait" for Ottawa. 

Corbin said more collaboration between governments is needed. 

"We really call on all levels of government to invest as much as they possibly can into feeding kids in schools," she said. "If the province were to ensure that every student in Nova Scotia was getting one full, balanced meal with three to four food groups per day, that would be a huge step in the right direction."