OCDSB approves $1.244B budget with $18.1M in cuts, affecting staffing, special education, and programs amid flat enrolment and inflation.
Budget Cuts Approved Amid Mounting Financial Pressures
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is set to finalize $18.1 million in cuts to its operating budget for the 2024–25 school year. This move aims to balance its $1.244-billion budget and avoid a fifth consecutive deficit, following a 7-2 trustee vote on June 11.
Board to Trim Spending Across Key Areas
The proposed savings will affect various sectors: $6 million from administrative expenses, $5 million from special education, and $4.2 million from classroom teaching. An additional $3 million will be found over the school year, mainly through unfilled vacancies and operational efficiencies.
Decisions Come Amid Inflation and Provincial Constraints
Rising inflation, increased sick leave replacements, and mandatory school operations under Ontario’s moratorium on closures have strained the board’s finances. Despite these challenges, the board received no significant new funding for 2025, as allocations remain tied to stable enrolment numbers—about 77,220 students are expected.
Investigation and Provincial Scrutiny Ongoing
The budget was drafted while the board awaited the results of a provincial audit. Education Minister Paul Calandra appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to examine the OCDSB’s finances due to a lack of reserves and persistent deficits. The ministry is currently reviewing the audit findings to determine further actions.
Staffing to Shrink by 135 Full-Time Positions
The 2025 school year will see the board reduce its workforce to 8,453 full-time positions—135 fewer than last year. Classroom and resource teachers will be cut by 64, while 31 early childhood educator positions and 20 educational assistant roles will also be eliminated. Additionally, the special education department will lose key professionals, including psychologists and speech pathologists.
Programs and Services Also Face Reductions
The OCDSB’s summer program for students with developmental disabilities and autism will be discontinued. Despite a trustee’s attempt to save it, the initiative couldn’t be preserved under the new budget. However, the board plans to spend $56.5 million on student transportation, buoyed by provincial support for increased OC Transpo fares.
Long-Term Strategy: Sell Surplus Assets, Push for Reform
Chief Financial Officer Randy Gerrior and Board Chair Lynn Scott emphasized that the cuts were the result of months-long deliberations. Looking forward, the board hopes to restore depleted reserves through asset sales and streamline adult education offerings. Trustees also intend to lobby for changes to Ontario’s funding model, which they say disadvantages urban boards like Ottawa’s.
Budget Vote Reveals Trustee Division
The June 11 vote revealed split opinions among trustees. Seven approved the staff’s proposed budget, two opposed, and one abstained. Two members were absent, including Nili Kaplan-Myrth, whose resignation is pending formal approval later this month.
The board’s decision marks a critical step in navigating immediate financial realities while attempting to secure sustainable operations in the years ahead.
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