New Human Rights ruling in Toronto enables all schools eligible for free breakfast programme

So far, only public and Catholic schools in the city could apply for the free breakfast programme.

With the new ruling, 300 private schools will be listed in the programme.

The new ruling will be discussed on Wednesday during the meeting of the Toronto Board of Health, that administers the Social Nutrition Programme (SNP).

If the rule gets approved, the city will start an outreach programme to private schools with an aim to inform them about their provision to apply for the free breakfast programme.

Speaking about the new ruling, city councillor, Joe Mihevc, told CBC News: "If you have a social equity program, you cannot distinguish on the basis of religion, or geography, or whether they are a publicly-funded or not publicly-funded school."

However, Mihevc felt though the programme is planning to reach at all city schools, there is a little chance that the city's well heeled families will be eligible to apply.

"My sense is that it'll be fairly few schools," he said.

"...given that many people who are in independent schools are parents of means, and the school is a school of means" the city councillor added.

Mihevc said the city will still provide the benefit to all schools with low income neighbourhoods which will be determined by comparing the postal codes in a school zone along with the tax statements.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)