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TORONTO, June 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Ontario celebrates Local Food Week from June 1 to June 7, Growing Local: Strengthening School Food Programs with Ontario Food, a report facilitated by Sustain Ontario, produced by Wilton Consulting Group, and funded by the Schad and Greenbelt Foundations, was released. It draws attention to a simple yet largely overlooked solution to support the province’s competitive and self-reliant agri-food sector: school food programs. With global trade tensions and tariffs on the rise, the report highlights that these programs could help drive demand for both Ontario-grown and regionally grown food, potentially opening up a $200 million annual market.
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Ontario’s agri-food sector is a cornerstone of the provincial economy, providing over $50 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing almost 900,000 people. The Ontario Greenbelt region alone generates $9.6 million dollars a year and sustains 177,700 full-time employment opportunities through its agricultural sector.
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School food programs are essential elements of students’ health and learning, with Ontario’s Student Nutrition Programs providing over 140 million meals and snacks to over one million students across the province every year. Every region in Ontario, including the Ontario Greenbelt, holds significant potential for local food production that can support these invaluable programs, in addition to Ontario-wide production.
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With more than 48,000 farms producing over 200 types of food, the province already supplies more than half of what Ontarians consume. The Greenbelt alone protects 750,000 acres of highly productive farmland, including major crops such as apples, peaches, carrots, and sweet corn.
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Highlighting two case studies in the Southwest and Central West regions, the report outlines practical steps to better connect farmers, distributors, and schools, helping deliver high-quality, locally grown food to students while strengthening the regional food system. By offering concrete recommendations, the report provides key stakeholders and decision-makers with actionable solutions to unlock the immense potential of Ontario’s and Greenbelt’s farms.
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In addition to Sustain Ontario’s longstanding request for sufficient, dedicated funding for school food programs (with targets for regional and Ontario food procurement, indexed with available supply), this report outlines further critical pathways.
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Report’s Key Recommendations:
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- Foster partnerships between schools and regional farmers, fishers, harvesters, and local processors to support their local school food programs;
- Ensure better connections between local food producers and processors and Ontario’s Student Nutrition Program;
- Fund a provincial school food and logistics coordinator;
- Create a funding stream dedicated to supporting local food and processing innovations;
- Develop a seasonal menu toolkit for schools;
- Streamline data collection and reporting systems; and
- Map the school food supply system in Ontario.
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Edward McDonnell, CEO, Greenbelt Foundation, said: “By protecting food production near Ontario’s major population centres, the Greenbelt helps ensure our students have access to fresh, home-grown food, which is essential for their wellbeing and success. Expanding local food procurement in our schools provides unique economic and social benefits while ensuring our food systems are healthier for both people and the planet.”
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