An examination of willingness to participate and willingness to pay for a universal school food program in the Canadian context.

Objective: To examine parents'/caregivers' willingness to participate and willingness to pay (WTP) for a cost-shared school food program (SFP) and its associated factors.

Design: A quantitative survey design was used where WTP for a hypothetical SFP was elicited using a double-bounded dichotomous choice elicitation method. We used a double hurdle (logistic and truncated regression) model to examine WTP and positively or negatively associated factors.

Setting: Saskatoon Public School Division elementary schools situated in high-, mid- or low-median-income neighbourhoods.

Participants: Parents or caregivers of children attending grades 1 to grade 8 in the Saskatoon Public School Division elementary schools.

Results: 94 % respondents were willing to participate in a SFP while less than two-thirds of participants were willing to pay for such a program. Over 90 % respondents from all the socio-economic groups were willing to participate. Multiple household income earners, higher household income, higher number of children, household food security status and higher academic attainment of parents'/caregivers predicted greater willingness to pay. Mean willingness to pay was $4·68 (CAN), and households reporting moderate or severe food insecurity were likely to be willing to pay significantly less for a SFP.

Conclusion: A cost-shared program might be financially sustainable in Canada if community characteristics such as household food insecurity status, economic participation of women and average household size are kept in mind while determining the price of the program.