Local Impact
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Manitoba School Meal and Snack Programs
The Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba works in partnership with school meal programs to benefit students in every region of the province reaching thousands of students daily in hundreds of schools. Having a universal school meal program in place means that each child has the opportunity to eat healthy meals and snacks at school at no cost to the student regardless of perceived need. Universality is a main characteristic of the programs offered by CNCM and helps to enhance the reach of the program and increase the overall number of students participating.
The programs are structured based on the specific school environment and 65% of schools offer more than one program type. Nutrition programs are a safe space where children can find encouragement, build relationships within the school, learn about nutrition, gain food skills and volunteer credits, and come together with other children of various ages and backgrounds.
Benefits of School Meal Programs
The reasoning for and importance of having school meal programs in place has been extensively researched. To learn more about the impact these programs can have and why it is essential to invest in school meal programs, putting the health of school-aged children first, visit the Coalition for Healthy School Food’s research page here.
Access |
Provide students nourishing and culturally appropriate food every school day to ensure that all children can be ready to learn.
Education |
Make an impact in a student's ability to reach their full academic potential through improving things that matter like attendance, punctuality and concentration.
Health |
Contribute to increased intake of nutritious foods for students which can play an important role in lowering the risk of chronic diseases.
Wellbeing |
Have a positive impact on a student's mental health, reduce behavioural issues, and create welcoming and inclusive spaces.
Skills |
Give an opportunity for students to learn about new foods, develop food skills, and lend a helping hand in their school community.
Community |
Strengthen local connections and economies. Having school and community-led programs, and building on local skills can have far reaching positive impacts.
The diversity of the school meal and snack programs available in schools across Manitoba ranges from grab and go snack carts to full breakfast and lunch meals.
Local Impact Stories
The impact that school meal programs have on school-aged children’s health, eating behaviours, and academic success is tremendous. The real-time positive effects of these programs can be recognized through hearing from students and teachers involved in them across Manitoba.
Annual Reports
If you would like to learn more about the work the Council has accomplished over the past and the impact of school meal programs on Manitoba school-aged children, download our annual reports here:
Program Locations
Program Locations by Region
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44 schools supported by CNCM
First Nation Schools: 10 of 54*
Flin Flon School Division: 4 of 4
Frontier School Division: 25 of 40
Kelsey School Division: 3 of 5
Mystery Lake School District: 2 of 7*schools in more than one region
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29 schools supported by CNCM
Evergreen School Division: 3 of 8
Hanover School Division: 1 of 19
Interlake School Division: 1 of 21
Lakeshore School Division: 4 of 10
Lord Selkirk School Division: 7 of 15
Red River Valley School Division: 3 of 13
Seine River School Division*: 7 of 15
Sunrise School Division: 3 of 19
Whiteshell School Division: 0 of 2*schools in more than one region
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69 schools supported by CNCM
Beautiful Plains School Division: 0 of 14
Brandon School Division: 22 of 24
Division scolaire franco-manitobaine*: 1 of 25
First Nation Schools*: 3 of 54
Fort La Bosse School Division: 1 of 10
Mountain View School Division: 9 of 16
Park West School Division: 9 of 16
Rolling River School Division: 6 of 17
Southwest Horizon School Division: 6 of 12
Swan Valley School Division: 7 of 7
Turtle Mountain: 1 of 7
Turtle River School Division: 4 of 7*schools in more than one region
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22 schools supported by CNCM
Border Land School Division: 6 of 17
Garden Valley School Division: 0 of 14
Pine Creek School Division: 6 of 14
Portage la Prairie School Division: 5 of 17
Prairie Rose School Division: 0 of 22
Prairie Spirit School Division: 4 of 29
Western School Division: 1 of 4 -
142 schools supported by CNCM
Division scolaire franco-manitobaine: 4 of 25
Louis Riel School Division: 20 of 40
Manitoba Catholic Schools: 1 of 18
Pembina Trails school Division: 7 of 36
River East Transcona School Division: 25 of 42
Seine River School Division: 3 of 15
Seven Oaks School Division: 24 of 26
St James Assiniboia School Division: 12 of 26
Winnipeg School Division: 48 of 80
Independent School Division: 1 of 50
Program Locations by Division
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Arthur A. Leach Junior High
General Byng School
R.H.G. Bonnycastle School
Ralph Maybank School
Westdale Junior High
Westgrove School -
Austin Elementary
Gladstone Elementary
Langruth Elementary
MacGregor Collegiate
MacGregor Elementary
William Morton Collegiate -
École Arthur Meighen School
Fort La Reine School
La Verendrye School
North Memorial School
Portage Collegiate Institute -
Nellie McClung Collegiate
Prairie Mountain High School
Ste. Marie School
Thomas Greenway Middle Years School -
École Saint-Malo School
Lowe Farm School
Morris School -
Arthur Day Middle School
Bernie Wolfe Community School
Chief Peguis Junior High
Donwood School
École John Henderson Middle Schoo
École Munroe Middle School
Hampstead School
Harold Hatcher School
John G. Stewart School
John Pritchard School
John W. Gunn Middle School
Kildonan-east Collegiate
Maple Leaf Elementary School
Miles Macdonell Collegiate
Murdoch Mackay Collegiate
Polson School
Princess Margaret School
Radisson School
River East Collegiate
Salisbury Morse Place School
Sherwood School
Springfield Heights School
Transcona Collegiate
Valley Gardens Junior High
Wayoata School -
Douglas Elementary
Elton Collegiate
Forrest Elementary
Oak River Elementary
Rivers Elementary
Tanner's Crossing School -
Arborgate School
Collège Lorette Collegiate
Dawson Trail School
École Sainte-Anne Immersion
Richer School
Ste. Anne Collegiate
Ste. Anne Elementary School -
Amber Trails Community School
Arthur E. Wright Community School
Collège Garden City Collegiate
Collicutt School
École Belmont
École Leila North Community School
École Seven Oaks Middle School
Edmund Partridge Community School
Elwick Community School
Forest Park School
Governor Semple School
H.C. Avery Middle School
James Nisbet Community School
Maples Collegiate Institute
Maples MET School
Margaret Park School
Met Centre for Arts and Technology
O. V. Jewitt Elementary
R.F. Morrison School
Riverbend Community School
Seven Oaks MET School
Victory School
West Kildonan Collegiate
West St. Paul School -
Deloraine School
Melita School
Pierson School
Souris School
Waskada School
Wawanesa School -
Brooklands School
Bruce Middle School
Buchanan School
Crestview School
École Robert-Browning
École Voyageur
Hedges Middle School
Heritage School
Jameswood Alternative School
Lakewood School
Linwood School
Stevenson School -
École Edward Schreyer School
Powerview School
Whitemouth School -
Benito School
Bowsman School
École Swan River South School
Heyes Elementary
Minitonas Middle Years School
Swan Valley Regional Secondary School
Taylor Elementary -
Boissevain School
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École Laurier
Mccreary School
Ste. Rose School -
Morden Collegiate
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Andrew Mynarski V.C. School
Argyle Alternative High School
Carpathia School
Champlain School
Children Of The Earth High School
Collège Churchill High School
Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute
David Livingstone School
Dufferin School
École Luxton School
École secondaire Kelvin High School
Elmwood High
Faraday School
Fort Rouge School
General Wolfe School
Gladstone School
Glenelm School
Gordon Bell High School Off-Campus Program
Hugh John Macdonald School
Isaac Brock School
Isaac Newton School
John M. King School
Keewatin Prairie Community School
Kent Road School
King Edward Community School
Lord Nelson School
Lord Roberts Community School
Machray School
Mulvey School
Niji Mahkwa School
Norquay School
Pinkham School
Principal Sparling School
R.B. Russell Vocational School|
Ralph Brown School
River Elm School
Rockwood School
Sargent Park School
Shaughnessy Park School
Sisler High School
Sister Macnamara School
South District Off Campus
Strathcona School
Tech-vocational High
Victoria-Albert School
Wellington School
Weston School
William Whyte School
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Emerson Elementary
Gretna Elementary
Roseau Valley School
Rosenfeld Elementary
Ross L. Gray School
Shevchenko School -
Alexander School*
Betty Gibson School*
Crocus Plains Regional Secondary
School*
Earl Oxford School*
Ecole O'Kelly School*
Ecole La Source*
George Fitton School*
Green Acres School*
J.R. Reid School*
King George School*
Kirkcaldy Heights School*
Linden Lanes School*
Maryland Park School*
Meadows School*
Neelin High
New Era School
Prairie Hope High School*
Riverheights School*
Riverview School*
St. Augustine School*
Valleyview School*
Vincent Massey High*
Waverly Park School**Supported in partnership with Brandon's Food for Thought program
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Collège Louis-Riel
École Jours De Plaine
École La Source*
École Lacerte
École Précieux Sang
École Taché*Supported in partnership with Brandon's Food for Thought program
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Arborg Collegiate
Riverton Collegiate
Riverton Early Middle Years School -
École McIsaac School
Hapnot Collegiate
Many Faces Education Centre
Ruth Betts Community School -
Chief Charles Thomas Audy Memorial School
Chief Sam Cook Mahmuwee Education Centre
Joe A. Ross School
Keeseekoowenin School
Kisemattawa Kiskinwahamakew Kamik School
Mantou Sakahigan Kiskinamakewikamik
Neil Dennis Kematch Memorial School
Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate
Otetiskiwin Kiskinwamahtowekamik
Oxford House Elementary School
Peter Yassie Memorial School
Sioux Valley School -
Oak Lake Community School
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Barrows Junction
Black River Anishinabe School
Brochet School
Cold Lake School
Cormorant Lake School
Cranberry Portage Elementary
Dauphin River School
Duke Of Marlborough School
Frontier Mosakahiken School
Gillam School
Gypsumville School
Helen Betty Osborne Ininiw Educational Resource Centre.19
Jack River School
Julie Lindal School
Lakefront School
Matheson Island School
Mel Johnson School
Minegoziibe Anishinabe School
Ministic School
Philomene Chartrand School
Rorketon School
Skownan School
Wanipigow School
Waterhen School -
Niverville High School
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Teulon Elementary
-
École Opasquia School
Kelsey Community School
Mary Duncan School -
Ashern Central School
Ashern Early Years School
Eriksdale School
Fisher Branch Collegiate -
École Bonaventure
Mapleton School
Robert Smith Elementary
Ruth Hooker School
Selkirk Centennial School
Selkirk Junior High
Walter Whyte School -
Archwood School
Collège Béliveau
Dr. D.W. Penner School
École Varennes
Frontenac School
General Vanier School
Glenlawn Collegiate
Glenwood School
Hastings School
J.H. Bruns Collegiate
Lavallee School
Louis Riel S.D. Arts And Technology Centre
Marion School
Minnetonka School
Monterey Learning Center
Nelson McIntyre Collegiate
St. George School
Victor H.L. Wyatt School
Victor Mager School
Windsor Park Collegiate -
Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary
Gilbert Plains Elementary
Goose Lake High
Grandview School
Henderson Elementary
Lt. Col. Barker V.C. School
Mackenzie Middle School
Whitmore School
Winnipegosis Elementary -
Wapanohk Community School
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Binscarth Elementary
Decker Colony School
Major Pratt School
Miniota School
Rossburn Collegiate
Rossburn Elementary
Shoal Lake School
Strathclair Community School
Waywayseecappo Community School
Research
Currently, Canada is the only G7 country in the world without a national school food program ranking 37th out of the world’s 41 wealthiest nations for access to healthy food.
(Arrell Food Institute., 2021).
Canadian researchers have shown that the diet quality of food brought from home by children across the socio-economic spectrum during school hours is generally poor, scoring only 53 out of 100 on the School-Healthy Eating Index (CHSF., n.d.; Everitt et al., 2023). Additionally, these meals are much lower in essential nutrients such as vitamin A, D, and calcium, and higher in saturated fats, salt, and sugar.
(Everitt et al., 2023).
Considering that children spend most of their waking hours at school where they can consume over 33% of their daily food intake, schools provide a meaningful opportunity to promote and establish healthier diets by providing access to nutritious foods using breakfast and lunch school meal programs guided by community dietitian’s advice.
(Cohen et al., 2021).
School-based health promotion is a crucial investment in the health and wellness of Manitoban children, many of whom do not have access to nutritious food outside of the school environment. This investment can improve children’s access to healthy lifestyle choices, help prevent chronic illness, and in the long-term, improve the health of individuals, families, and communities.
Supporting Comprehensive School Health
Comprehensive school health is a framework recognized internationally as a way to support improvements in students’ educational outcomes while also addressing school health (GovMB, n.d.). The framework recognizes the importance of schools in directly influencing students’ health and behaviours while also emphasizing the link between consuming a healthy diet and learning outcomes in school-aged children (GovMB., n.d.). Click here to download the Comprehensive School Health Framework 2-pager (2016).
The work of the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba contributes to the comprehensive school health framework by adding to its pillar of healthy school policy. Providing meals at no cost to students helps to assist in developing a healthy school environment that ensures all children are well-nourished and supports better learning outcomes for students. In addition, school staff participating in administering the meal program within their schools help to demonstrate healthy behaviours and informally educate students on healthy eating at a young age which can help them form healthy habits that will support their lifelong well-being.