Faced with $52.2M deficit, TDSB calls on political parties to commit to more funding for education

With two weeks to go before the provincial election, the Toronto District School Board called on the political parties Wednesday to commit to more support for the TDSB and school boards facing deep budget shortfalls across the province.

TDSB chair Alexander Brown says the board is facing a massive deficit after going "above and beyond" to protect students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brown says the board was also forced to dip into its reserves when the ministry would not fund smaller class sizes and other essential pandemic costs.

"All available funds were put toward keeping students and staff safe," Brown said during a Wednesday news conference. 

"Now the TDSB is currently projecting a deficit of $52.2 million for the 2022-2023 school year, primarily due to the pandemic costs and declining enrolment," he said. 

"Should additional funding not be provided to address the impacts of the pandemic, savings will need to be found and cuts will need to be made.". 

But the TDSB chair says trustees and staff do not want to make cuts, especially now when students need stability and support after more than two years of disruption.

Brown says the TDSB is specifically asking for the following:

Brown says the $52.2 million includes the structural deficit, which was built up over years, plus the pandemic costs from the last two years.

Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives have promised $21 billion for schools, with $14 billion going to capital grants. Education Minister Stephen Lecce says $500 million would be put toward 37 school projects in 2022/2023. Ontario's school repair backlog was estimated in September to be roughly $16.8 billion.

Meanwhile, the Ontario Liberals say they "have listened to education workers, students and parents," and with their input and feedback, have built an Education Recovery Plan — "something children and families desperately need." 

The plan proposes the following:

For its part, the Ontario NDP says it will invest to help students get back on their feet academically, emotionally, and psychologically after a tough few years. The party has committed to hiring 20,000 teachers and education workers and invest in in-school remedial learning programs to help students recover after two years of learning disruptions. The New Democrats also promise to repeal Bill 124 — legislation that caps annual pay increases for civil servants, including teachers — and "restore respect and fair compensation for the people who deliver education."

The Green Party of Ontario has also published it's Safe School Plan, which outlines how it would improve air quality and lower class sizes.