Ten Mississauga schools are joining a program to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity.

The Peel District School Board schools are in five Mississauga neighbourhoods and will participate in programs to increase students’ opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating, according to a press release from Ophea, a registered charity that champions healthy, active living in schools and communities.

The schools are:

Tomken Road Middle School
Nahani Way Public School
Glenhaven Sr. Public School
Forest Glen Public School
Darcel Avenue Sr. Public School
Ridgewood Public School
Fairwind Sr. Public School
Silver Creek Public School
The Valleys Sr. Public School
Elm Drive Public School

The five-part program package will be rolled out in schools and neighbourhoods during the 2025-2026 and 2026–2027 school years, and includes:

Improving Daily Physical Activity: Providing schools with support and resources to lead inclusive daily activities with students that encourage them to move their bodies more during the school day.
Introducing or expanding school nutrition programs: Expanding access to fresh and nutritious foods for more students.
Improving and activating school spaces: Enhancing indoor and outdoor school spaces, such as hallways and schoolyards, to give students more opportunities to play and move year-round.
Developing before- and after-school programs: Introducing or expanding free drop-in programs that provide opportunities for play and nutrition learning beyond school hours.
Piloting community lending libraries: Creating lending hubs for families that offer free access to all-season equipment and complimentary local resources to support physical activity.

Co-created with schools and communities, the program package reflects five months of engagement with over 1,230 community members, including students, caregivers, and educators, through pop-up events in schools and shared community spaces, focus group discussions, and co-design workshops to identify what matters most in growing healthy, active schools and neighbourhoods.

The programs are part of the Growing Healthy Places: Mississauga initiative, which was launched last year. The initiative’s goal is to improve physical activity, access to nourishing food, and overall quality of life for children aged 6–13 in underserved Mississauga communities.

Michele Cummings, principal at Silver Creek Public School, said the initiative will help students thrive.

“When students feel healthy, active, and supported, they are better able to learn and lead,” Cummings said. “Growing Healthy Places: Mississauga is helping us bring our community’s shared vision to life at Silver Creek Public School–enhancing spaces where students can move and connect, strengthening access to nutritious food, and empowering students to take pride in leading daily physical activity.”

A partnership, initially beginning with Ophea,  non-profit organization 8 80 Cities, Brock University, with funding from Novo Nordisk as part of the global Childhood Obesity Prevention Initiative from Cities for Better Health, has expanded to include the City of Mississauga, Peel District School Board, and Peel Public Health as partners in co-designing, delivering and evaluating local approaches to enhance access to nutritious food and foster active lifestyles for children across Mississauga.

“The Peel District School Board has been working with schools and community partners to ‘Grow Healthy Places’ in Mississauga, addressing health equity barriers faced by elementary students,” said Delia Chan, instructional resource teacher: Health and Physical Education Curriculum and School Improvement, Peel District School Board. “Together, we’ve co-designed programs that expand access to healthy food and physical activity, and we’re excited to begin bringing these ideas to life across participating schools. This next phase is about turning collaboration into meaningful action that helps our school communities grow.”

Over the next two years, Growing Healthy Places: Mississauga will work with schools and community partners to implement and expand programming in participating schools.

As part of the global Cities for Better Health initiative, Mississauga is spotlighted in episode two (below) of their documentary series Our City, Our Health, showcasing inspiring community-led solutions that already exist.

Lead photo: Diana


INsauga’s Editorial Standards and Policies

Last 30 Days: 37,116 Votes

All Time: 1,310,185 Votes

1010 VOTES
Do you avoid public transit because of safety concerns?

WIN A $100 GIFT CARD

Subscribe to INsauga’s daily email newsletter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.