On June 27, the last day of school for many students, the Minister of Education placed four more school boards under provincial supervision, including the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
WHEREAS The Ford government has cut per-student funding by more than $1500 since 2018 when inflation is factored in;
WHEREAS Class sizes in our public schools are very high, impacting the quality of education our kids receive;
WHEREAS The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) faces a huge funding gap for the 2025-2026 year, including a $38.5 million shortfall for students with special education needs and $10.9 million for student and staff mental health, safety and well-being support.
To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WE, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to:
- Immediately reverse the provincial takeover of Ontario’s school boards and reinstate democratically elected Trustees and our school boards;
- Ensure the provincial budget allocates funds to avoid any cuts to education funding in Ontario;
- Restore classroom funding lost due to inflation since 2018;
- Fully fund statutory benefits (CPP and EI) for school boards;
- Fix our schools with sustainable funding for the school repair backlog across Ontario;
- Reimburse TDSB for $61 million spent from reserves to keep students and staff safe during the COVID pandemic; and
- Stop the crisis you are creating with families, with businesses and workers across our province.