La Cantine pour tous brings healthy school meals to Outaouais

Tashi Farmilo

La Cantine pour tous, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to healthy meals for students, has received $9.3 million in new funding from the Quebec Ministry of Education. The investment will significantly expand its school lunch program across the province, including in the Outaouais.

The funding, announced on January 21, is part of Quebec’s allocation under the federal National School Food Program. The province secured $65 million in total from Ottawa in March 2025, with a portion now confirmed for La Cantine pour tous to support its La Cantine dans les écoles initiative through the 2026–2027 school year.

The organization says the funds will allow it to consolidate its operations, support existing meal services, and extend its reach to more schools starting in the 2026 academic year. The investment also supports mid-year expansion efforts already underway.

In the Outaouais, three schools have newly joined the program: Le Tremplin School, Saint-Jean-de-Brébeuf School, and Namur Intermediate School. They are now being served by local member-caterers: Récolte de l’Outaouais, Dîner pour mieux apprendre, and Alliance alimentaire Papineau. These community-based organizations partner with La Cantine pour tous to provide nutritious, affordable lunches.

The expansion reflects a broader growth trajectory. After adding more than 30 schools at the start of the 2025 school year, La Cantine pour tous has continued its rollout into new regions, including the Laurentians and the Lower St. Lawrence. A total of 13 schools have been added mid-year across Quebec.

“This funding is excellent news for La Cantine pour tous and for all the school communities we serve,” said Benoist de Peyrelongue, Chair of the Board of Directors of La Cantine pour tous and Director General of the Cuisine collective d’Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. “It gives us the stability needed to consolidate our actions, integrate new schools and contribute concretely to the educational success of students by offering them healthy and affordable meals.”

La Cantine pour tous now operates in 15 of Quebec’s 17 administrative regions, supporting more than 56,000 students in 179 schools with the help of 39 member organizations. The group operates on a “pay what you can” model aimed at ensuring equitable access to healthy food for all students, regardless of their family’s income.

Thibaud Liné, Executive Director of the organization, noted that the continued growth is a result of strong local partnerships. “The addition of new schools and new regions during the school year illustrates the strength of our collective of partners and our roots in the territories. It is together that we can expand access to quality school food, throughout Quebec,” he said.