REGINA - The latest pre-election campaign promise from the New Democrats focuses on healthy food for students in school.
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck announced Thursday morning that if elected, her government would bring in a healthy school food program.
According to her party’s news release, under this program there will operating funding provided to school divisions, to schools, parent groups, or non-profits that organize to deliver food to students in public, separate, or francophone schools throughout the province.
There would be an initial investment of $10 million, ramping up to $55.5 million annually by the end of the government term. The NDP says this program will be phased in, and they plan to get a deal done with the federal government for even more funding.
The intention is to use food grown or raised in Saskatchewan, through partnerships with Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector.
Beck made it known she thinks the program will encourage healthy eating for children, and provide affordability relief for families struggling to provide a healthy lunch for their kids.
“I’m announcing my commitment to a healthy school food program saving money for families at the grocery store, but also saving time with their children,” said Beck at her announcement in Regina.
"We’ve all been there before, those of us with children, on those hectic mornings trying to throw together a healthy lunch while you get kids out the door. And we all know the kids learn best when they aren’t hungry.”
Thursday's campaign pledge is just one of what has been a series of pre-election announcements from the NDP this week focused on education and students. On Tuesday the NDP had announced a $2 billion commitment to education funding, and on Wednesday Beck pledged to build a new high school in White City.
Meanwhile, cabinet ministers from the Saskatchewan Party were again busy on Thursday throughout the province, making several government funding announcements in multiple locations.
Among those appearances Thursday was an announcement in Saskatoon by provincial ministers Paul Merriman and Bronwyn Eyre of $17.1 million towards investments in safer communities and neighbourhoods; Minister of Advanced Education Colleen Young speaking at the University of Regina on over $800 million invested in the Graduate Retention Program since 2009; Minister of Social Services Gene Makowsky in downtown Regina announcing a provincial funding commitment to the Regina Street Team; and an announcement in North Battleford by Education Minister and MLA for the Battlefords Jeremy Cockrill of $30 million in highways investments for west central Saskatchewan.
The province, along with the federal government, also announced $8.4 million in early learning and child care workforce enhancement grants to help child care centres and group family child care homes recruit and retain staff, as well as an additional $1 million to the Early Childhood Educator wage enhancement grant.
