The co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire (QS), Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, proposes that the government establish a lunch program in all public schools by 2030.
• Also read: Meals provided to all students: a majority of Quebecers in favor
• Also read: “1 in 5 children in schools are hungry”: Québec solidaire makes school food its main focus
“It is possible to feed all the children in our schools,” he said on Sunday during a public meeting in the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district, in Montreal.
The program would be on a voluntary basis and rolled out gradually. The elected official estimates that lunch boxes will be served by 2027 in all primary schools. We will have to wait until 2030 to see this program across the province.
“Families in Quebec are having more and more difficulty making ends meet. Result: one child in five is hungry,” explains Mr. Nadeau-Dubois.
“If I were Minister of Education or Prime Minister, this statistic would prevent me from falling asleep at night,” he adds.
Account X Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois
An annual investment of $770 million is estimated for the deployment.
Parents could also contribute to the plan if they wish by paying up to $7 per meal.
“A child who is hungry at school is a child who will not realize his or her potential, it is a child who will have much less chance of succeeding in school and therefore of succeeding in life,” reiterates the co-spokesperson.
QS believes its program could generate economic benefits of between $1.5 and $4.2 billion.
According to a Léger survey commissioned by the party, two out of three Quebecers are of the opinion that schools should offer a free meal during the lunch period, as is the case in several countries around the world.
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