School food programs are a lifeline for the 1 in 4 Canadian households that experience food insecurity - with even higher rates in Northern, Indigenous communities. These programs ensure students have consistent access to nutritious meals at school, increasing learning and health outcomes while decreasing grocery bills for families.

However, the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate’s (YFNED) ‘Rural Nutrition’ program has been terminated due to federal cuts to Jordan’s Principle. For the last five years, this program provided two warm meals, snacks, and school-break hampers to 13 rural, Indigenous communities. These cuts place an unjust onus on communities who are now burdened with filling gaps in essential services that are the responsibility of the Yukon government. As a result, many communities are now unable to sustain their school food programs. (Learn more and support YFNED's appeal at: yfned.ca/appeal)

Meanwhile, the federal government is transferring funds to the Yukon to support school food programs across the next two years as part of the Canada - Yukon National School Food Program Agreement. However, this funding is not expected to begin rolling out until January 2026, and only offers $1.44 per student per day. We know this is not nearly enough to meet the needs of children in the territory. 

This election, we are calling for immediate action from the Yukon government to ensure that ALL students in the Yukon have equal access to healthy food at school.
- Increase investment in school food programs
- Work with communities and partners to design flexible, culturally appropriate programs that reflect local needs
- Work with YFNED to ensure Indigenous control over programs for Indigenous students
- Set procurement minimums to support Yukon producers (see “5% Local Food Goal” below)

Yukoners are working hard to feed themselves and their communities, drawing sustenance from our lands, waters, gardens and farms. Despite these community-led food sovereignty initiatives, unjust government regulations stand in the way of producing, sharing, and distributing essential food items.

The rules are not only restrictive - they’re often confusing and lacking in clarity. In some cases, they conflict with municipal or federal policies, or even contradict the guidelines in other departments. This patchwork of regulations makes it harder for Yukoners to feed their neighbours in ways that are sustainable, culturally grounded, and locally driven.

We are calling on our party leaders to review, revise, and reduce the red tape that’s preventing resilient, community-led food systems in the Yukon.  
- Update the regulatory framework around food systems to encourage local production
- Ensure consistency of regulations across departmentsImprove clarity and transparency through collaboration with partners
- Align policies with national best practices, while respecting local contexts
- Provide clear, user-friendly guides to help producers and service providers navigate regulations and policies

Currently, the Yukon government only spends 1% of its food budget on Yukon products. 

The Yukon government is one of the largest food purchasers in the territory, spending more than $3M annually for hospitals, schools, jails, and continuing care homes. This incredible purchasing power allows them to catalyze economic development and community resilience throughout the territory. Despite having a 10% minimum target, not only are there no concrete pathways towards achieving this goal, but also, no progress to report. 

Supporting local producers means less dependence on trucked food from the south, more reliable markets for our farmers, and a deeper respect for the neighbours who grow our food.

That’s why we are supporting the Yukon Agricultural Association by calling on the government to commit to sourcing 5% of its food from local farms by the end of 2025. 
- Create a phased plan for minimum local purchasing requirements (not “targets”) (2025: 5%2026: 10%2027: 15%)
- Work with stakeholders to support the supply chain where necessary, so that the industry can grow sustainably and meet these targets
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