Latest news with #schoolboards
National Post
16 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
Ontario government takes over TDSB, three other school boards, citing 'mismanagement'
The Ontario government announced it will be appointing supervisors to oversee four school board districts in the province after an investigation raised concerns about the financial stability of the institutions. Article content The affected boards include some of the largest in the province, including Toronto (TDSB), Toronto Catholic (TCDSB), Ottawa-Carleton (OCDSB) and Dufferin-Peel (DPCDSB). Article content 'Each of these boards has failed in its responsibilities to parents and students by losing sight of its core mission — ensuring student success,' Minister of Education said Paul Calandra said in a news release Friday. Article content Article content The ministry's press release said an investigation into the four school boards revealed 'instances of mismanagement and poor decision-making that put its long-term financial health at risk.' The government said the TDSB has rejected nearly half of the cost-saving measures management has recommended over the past two years and the board relies heavily on proceeds from asset sales to balance its books. Article content Toronto Catholic 'is at risk of default in the coming years' after tripling its deficit, compared with the prior school year, the announcement reads. Meanwhile, Ottawa-Carleton 'depleted its reserves, incurred an accumulated deficit,' the government wrote, noting that the board plans to offset the deficit 'from asset sales to balance its books.' Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, meanwhile, is 'at the brink of bankruptcy,' Calandra said. Article content Article content The audit of OCDSB and TDSB, according to the provincial government, was overseen by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), while Deloitte conducted the investigation of TCDSB. Article content Article content Chandra Pasma, the education critic for the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), condemned the move calling it 'nothing short of a power grab.' Article content Pasma blamed the Ford government which 'has chronically underfunded our education system,' that will undermine the schooling of students. Article content Calandra framed the announcement as a step toward financial propriety and a better long-term investment in local schools. Article content 'We're strengthening oversight and accountability so that parents can have the confidence that every dollar is spent responsibly to directly benefit students. I have made it clear that if a school board veers off its mandate, I will take action to restore focus, rebuild trust and put students first.'
CBC
20 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Ontario taking control of 4 school boards, including TDSB
Social Sharing Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra says the province has taken control of four more school boards. He says the province has appointed supervisors to the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board. Calandra says the moves come after a recommendation following financial investigations of the boards showed growing deficits, depletion of reserves and ongoing mismanagement. In April, the province took control of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board over similar financial concerns. That came after an investigation found four school trustees racked up a $190,000 bill on a trip to Italy to buy art for new schools. Calandra says the boards have failed parents and students.
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Ontario taking over 4 school boards, including TDSB, following spending probe
Education Minister Paul Calandra speaks during Question Period at Queen's Park in Toronto on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston Ontario's education minister is appointing supervisors to oversee spending at four school boards, including the Toronto District School board and Toronto Catholic District School Board, after investigations into their finances allegedly found 'ongoing cases of mismanagement.' Paul Calandra announced the appointments on Friday and said that the boards, which also include Carleton District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board 'failed' in their responsibility to parents and students by 'losing sight of its core mission—ensuring student success.' The ministry launched investigations into spending at those boards in April. Previously, the government appointed a supervisor to the Thames Valley District School Board for alleged misspending. Calandra had previously threatened to take over the finances of the Toronto District School Board if it didn't get its spending in order. This is a breaking news story. More details to come.
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Ontario appointing supervisors to TDSB and TCDSB following spending probe
Education Minister Paul Calandra speaks during Question Period at Queen's Park in Toronto on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston Ontario's education minister is appointing supervisors to oversee spending at four school boards, including the Toronto District School board and Toronto Catholic District School Board, after investigations into their finances allegedly found 'ongoing cases of mismanagement.' Paul Calandra announced the appointments on Friday and said that the boards, which also include Carleton District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board 'failed' in their responsibility to parents and students by 'losing sight of its core mission—ensuring student success.' The ministry launched investigations into spending at those boards in April. Previously, the government appointed a supervisor to the Thames Valley District School Board for alleged misspending. Calandra had previously threatened to take over the finances of the Toronto District School Board if it didn't get its spending in order. This is a breaking news story. More details to come.
CTV News
18-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Quebec school officials alarmed by $570M budget cut
Education officials in the province were left reeling by the $570-million budget cut announced last week by the CAQ government. This comes on top of a $200 million cut announced in December. Joe Ortona, the president of the Quebec English School Board Association, called the decision 'shameful' and said the impact on services would be devastating. 'Nobody knows where to cut, because all of these services are essential. In the end, some are going to have to make choices between serving breakfast meals and having tutors for kids who are failing classes,' Ortona told CTV News. 'I don't think anybody here is in a good situation, even in the French sector, they're not speaking out publicly, but privately, they're saying this is impossible. In some boards, they're being asked to cut almost $100 million — it is absolutely impossible what this government is asking to do without affecting services to kids.' Education Minister Bernard Drainville is asking English school boards and French-language service centres to cut $510.8 million from the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and an additional $56.9 million from the private schools – for a total of $567.7 million. Judith Kelley, Chair of the Council of Commissioners at the Lester B. Pearson School Board, said schools are scrambling because budget allocations have already been approved. She said her school board is looking at a $32 million cut from its $400 million budget, but there is no flexibility on things like staff pay. 'We have to start looking at difficult decisions,' she said. 'The minister will say 'You won't need to cut in classrooms, you won't need to do anything that will affect students,' but yes students will be affected.' For example, special education, sports, and arts programs may be affected. 'I just don't think we can do what we're being asked to do,' said Kelley. During a scrum on Wednesday, Drainville argued that since 2018, the education budget has grown by seven per cent each year. He added that while this year's increase is just five per cent, the overall budget is still rising by $1 billion. 'What I told the service centres [and school board] is that they need to manage their existing funds more effectively: to be more efficient, to respect the budget without cutting services for students or at the very least to keep it to a minimum,' Drainville explained, adding that a seven per cent increase is unsustainable. 'I acknowledge that it will take a lot of work. I am asking for everyone to make an effort. There will be difficult decision to be made. But after a 58 per cent increase of the education budget, I think the time has come to consolidate and make better use of the funding that has been allocated.' Ortona rejected Drainville's claim that school boards and service centres simply need to manage their funding better, pointing to the SAAQclic and Northvolt scandals as examples of government mismanagement. 'Essentially, they're asking children to sacrifice their education and their future and their success for the mistakes of this government, I just think that that's indecent on their part. They should be ashamed that that's where they're resorting to,' Ortona said. 'They have adopted an education model now that absolutely allows them to get away with doing these kinds of things, because nobody in the French system is able to speak out. They have no elected officials that represent them. Everybody is accountable to and answers to the Ministry of Education and the government of Quebec.' When asked about the salary increases in collective agreements signed over the last few months, Ortona said he expected teaching and support staff positions to be cut. 'The government is washing their hands of it. All they're saying is, 'Well, if you face grievances because you've abolished positions that you've promised to the unions, that's your responsibility, and you're going to have to deal with that.' Again, a complete mismanagement of education,' he said. The president said that boards and associations would be working through the summer, crushing numbers and trying to make everything fit. In recent days, several service centres have also decried the new round of budget cuts.
