CODE-COMOH Letter to Ontario Premier on the Importance of School Food Programs
Posted: March 16, 2021
Categories: Edible Education Network / Good Food Ideas for Kids / News from Sustain Ontario / School Food News
On January 28, the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE) and the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health (COMOH) sent a joint letter to Premier Ford urging the province to better support Student Nutrition Programs (SNPs), as well as to encourage “Ontario Ministries to engage with federal partners to facilitate the development of universal SNPs across Ontario.”
Read the joint statement from the CODE and COMOH Chairs here. Sustain Ontario joins the Coalition for Healthy School Food in applauding this letter; read more from the Coalition blog.
This letter came about when COMOH asked the Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) to prepare draft recommendations given their expertise in the area of SNPs. COMOH then reviewed and submitted the joint statement to CODE for approval and the final joint submission was sent to Premier Ford from CODE-COMOH.
It is important to note that the letter was also sent to multiple Ministers, specifically the Ontario Minister of Education, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, and Minister of Health, with specific recommendations for each Ministry as CODE-COMOH recognizes that it will take “all of government” to make these initiatives happen.
The letter stresses that “school food programs are increasingly seen as vital contributors to students’ physical and mental health”, noting the growing research that shows the value of school food programs to improve food choices and support student success, including academic performance, reduced absenteeism, and improved student behaviour.
Yet, as the letter explains, SNPs have been consistently underfunded and under-supported.
Recognizing the significant value of school food programs, CODE and COMOH explain that “COVID-19 presents an opportunity for Ontario to augment its investment in SNPs as a way to improve student performance and readiness to learn.”
The letter offers five recommendations:
- The Ministry of Education’s (MEDU) Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools should be revised to enable Boards of Education to add enabling language in their Return to School Plans. (The suggested language changes would exempt SNPs from the list of prohibited visitors and state that individually portioned foods such as whole apples, cut carrots, etc… can be safely portioned out if following appropriate food safety practices.)
- Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) is requested to release and post online the updated SNP Nutrition Guidelines and mandate Public Health’s participation in local implementation.
- Ministry of Health (MOH) should be requested to create a free, online SNP-specific Food Handler Training and Certification for SNP volunteers across the province.
- MEDU and MCCSS are requested to jointly develop a funded universal SNP program for student success. This should include funding for a paid Coordinator at each participating school.
- and future considerations include specific infrastructure criteria for capital funding projects (renovations and new builds) that support a healthy school food environment. as well as the encouragement of Ontario Ministries to engage with federal partners to facilitate the development of universal SNPs across Ontario.
Each recommendation offers a background and explanation as to why this support is needed and what it can accomplish.
Read more from the Coalition for Healthy School Food.