TORONTO – As the cost of living continues to rise, the City of Toronto is taking action with a new CampTO Nutrition Program aimed at helping families feed their children through the summer. The initiative will provide morning snacks to up to 56,000 children at 89 designated camp locations across the city.
The program is targeted to reach families in high-need communities, with participating camps located in Free Centres and neighbourhoods with a high percentage of low-income households. The goal: ensure that no child goes hungry while attending summer camp.
Funding and Reach
Backed by a dedicated $1.016 million budget, the CampTO Nutrition Program covers both the cost of the food and staffing to deliver it. The program is expected to run for the duration of CampTO, from early July through late August.
CampTO, launched in 2020, offers more than 90,000 camp spaces for children and youth aged four to 16 across 180+ locations citywide. Programming includes sports, arts, leadership development, and recreational activities designed to foster learning, friendships, and positive experiences.
A Strategic Investment in Affordability
Mayor Olivia Chow emphasized the importance of the initiative as part of a broader affordability strategy:
“So many in our city are struggling with rising costs, especially on grocery bills. The CampTO nutrition program is a strategic public investment. In a time of economic uncertainty, it extends access to nutritious food for families outside of the school year. We’re fighting rising costs and investing in stronger communities.”
The program is aligned with Toronto’s broader food security strategy, which includes a newly adopted vision for a Universal School Food Program. Approved by City Council last week, that strategy aims to deliver meal programs to every public school in the city — a move projected to save families with two school-age children up to $880 annually.
More Information
Residents can learn more about CampTO and register online at:
👉 www.toronto.ca/CampTO
To view the full report on Toronto’s school food strategy, visit:
📄 backgroundfile-256035.pdf
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