The federal government announced it will launch a national school food program, hoping to deliver meals to an additional 400,000 children annually.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the announcement during an event in Toronto on Monday, the latest in a series of public appearances by the Prime Minister and his ministers ahead of the federal budget scheduled for April 16.

Trudeau said during the event: "We all want children to have the best start in life, including the most vulnerable groups."

"When a child comes before class and says I’m hungry, it means we all have more work to do as a school community and as a country."

The federal government will spend one billion dollars over five years to implement the program. This figure reflects the 2021 campaign promise made by the governing Liberals.

Freeland said the government hopes to implement the program for the 2024-2025 school year.

Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program, according to the Canadian Breakfast Club, and advocates say a national program is needed to fill the gaps left by a patchwork of regional, local, and charitable programs that are under strain due to declining resources and rising food prices.

Debbie Field, coordinator of the Healthy School Food Coalition, said in a media statement dated February 27, "Canadian families are struggling, and with food prices at high levels due to inflation, we know that a national school food program would help children and youth access nutritious food, which would support their mental health, behavior, and academic habits."

The school food program is not one of the policy items outlined in the supply and confidence agreement between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party, which saw the NDP support the government in key votes for two years. But the NDP recently called on the federal government to implement a program.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said in a media statement last month: "Parents are doing everything they can to care for their children, but the cost of food keeps rising," children cannot go to school hungry."

In a social media post on Monday, Singh referred to the program as a "demand" of his party.

The provinces have jurisdiction over education in Canada. Trudeau said on Monday the government will work with the provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners to implement the program, including by enhancing existing policies.

Trudeau defended a series of measures to which the government allocated significant cash resources – such as pharmacare, dental care, and childcare programs – even as it commits to fiscal responsibility in the upcoming budget.

Last December, the Conservatives voted against a bill introduced by a member that would have established a national framework for the school food program.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre strongly criticized the Liberal government for its handling of the economy and affordability issues, often pointing to the increased use of food banks across the country.