PC School Funding Falls Below Inflation and Enrollment for Fifth Year in a Row Will Force Schools to Make More Cuts in a Pandemic

February 5, 2021

Treaty 1 Territory and Homeland of the Métis Nation, Winnipeg, MB— For the fifth year in a row the PC government has announced funding for school divisions that falls below inflation and enrollment rates, forcing schools to make classroom cuts in a pandemic

“As a parent I was really hoping we'd start to invest in our kids to make up for the sacrifices they’ve made at school during the pandemic, but the PCs are instead setting up schools to make budget cuts in the coming year,” said NDP Leader Wab Kinew. “There are more demands in the classroom for teachers and students than ever before. Now is not the time to make cuts. Our kids deserve real investments so they can learn and grow despite the challenges of the pandemic.”

The PCs announced a 0.5% increase in operating funding for school divisions—a rate that falls well short of the increasing costs schools incur from rising inflation and growing enrollment rates. They are currently sitting on tens of millions of dollars in emergency federal funding meant to help schools keep kids safe in the classroom and support remote learning.

“It’s the desire to provide the best for our children that motivates teachers and parents every day” said NDP Education Critic Nello Altomare. “But the PC government doesn’t seem to share that same basic motivation. That’s why continue to make cuts to our children’s education even in the middle of a pandemic. Our kids deserve better – they deserve funding to keep them safe and help them learn.”