Work is underway to make nutritious and affordable lunch options available to all students this fall through a pay-what-you-can school lunch program.
"We know when students have a full belly, they can better focus on learning," said Premier Susan Holt. "By giving students access to nutritious, affordable options at school, we are giving them one of the essential tools they need to learn and thrive, while also making life more affordable for New Brunswick families."
Families will pay $4 per meal for students in kindergarten to Grade 8 and $5 per meal for students in grades 9 to 12. The cost of meals will be shared between families and the government. To ensure every student can participate, families who are unable to afford these costs will receive a full subsidy supported by community organizations that raise funds, as well as government. Families will also have an option to contribute more if they choose to do so.
"This school lunch program, where all students have access to healthy meals, will result in increased student engagement, which will lead to better results overall," said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson. "We are grateful to our partners, including food service providers and community organizations, who are helping us deliver on our commitment to ensure all children in New Brunswick have access to healthy food at school."
A prototype of the school lunch program is already taking place in selected schools across the province. This will help prepare for provincewide implementation of the program in September and determine whether any modifications are needed.
"With the cost of living on the rise, we have seen a larger percentage of New Brunswickers, particularly families, suffering from food insecurity and making use of our services," said Jane Buckley, executive director of the Oromocto Food Bank. "Students having access to both breakfast and lunch at school will ensure some of our most vulnerable population does not go hungry."
"CÉ D'ICI and Meals on Wheels are pleased to partner to help address food security by delivering healthy lunches that maximize the use of local ingredients to students in 10 schools in the Fredericton area this fall," said Marc Allain, project manager for the school food partnership between those two organizations. "We're already delivering these meals to some students through the school lunch prototype, and are keen to share our story with other community organizations interested in learning from our operating model."
The government has allocated $26 million - including a new investment of $7 million - for the school lunch program in 2026-27.
"We learned from the challenges seen in the school lunch models in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and are proposing a different model for New Brunswick," said Johnson. "Using a model where everyone pays the same price helps with affordability and sustainability while fostering greater social equality for all students."
In addition to the pay-what-you-can school lunch program, all students continue to have access to nutritious foods at school through the universal breakfast program. That program is made possible through a $2-million annual provincial investment, as well as $11 million over three years received from the federal government through the National School Food Program. Families who use these two programs are expected to save between $900 and $2,000 annually.
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