Manitoba reaches deal to join federal school food program [Video]

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP government is set to become the second province to sign on for a slice of the $1 billion federal school food program.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds are expected to join the premier Friday morning to announce an agreement that will see over $17 million in additional federal funding added over the next three years to the $30 million the province already has budgeted for its “universal school nutrition program.”

Despite the name, the Manitoba program launched on Sept. 5 isn’t quite universal yet. It’s stitching together and supplementing what has been a patchwork of meal and snack programming across the 37 school divisions in Manitoba. The provincial government set aside $6 million for 50 schools in communities it described as having “high socio-economic need.”

Sudds said the initial $3.8 million in federal funding going to high-needs areas this fiscal year will help …