NDP Leader Urges Increase in Capital Repair Funding for Ontario Schools

Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles, along with Brantford-Brant NDP candidate Harvey Bischof and union officials, called for an increase in capital repair funding for schools during a press conference outside Pauline Johnson Collegiate. They were addressing the growing repair backlog in schools across the province. A report from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario released Tuesday revealed that 37.4% of schools in Ontario are below a state of good repair (SOGR), with the total cost to fix them at $6.5 billion. Additionally, maintaining the schools over the next 10 years will require another $15.2 billion.Stiles emphasized that the New Democrats would work to eliminate the repair backlog, reduce class sizes, and invest in mental health professionals, educational assistants, and resources. She criticized the government for prioritizing projects like the $2.2 billion for the Ontario Place spa while neglecting schools. “When kids learn in safe and healthy schools, they do better,” Stiles said. “Investing in their success builds a stronger future for everyone.”

Andrea Murik, president of the OSSTF District 23 Teacher’s Bargaining Unit, called the underfunding of school infrastructure a crisis that endangers the well-being of students, teachers, and communities. “Our newest high school is already over 30 years old,” she said. “Students are crammed into aging portables with poor air quality.”

Carolyn Proulx-Wootton, president of the Grand Erie Elementary Teachers’ Federation, pointed out that 70,000 children across Ontario are waiting for autism supports, while class sizes continue to grow and necessary therapies and educational assistants are lacking. She also noted that per-student funding has dropped by $1,500 since 2018, causing significant losses at schools like Pauline Johnson Collegiate.

Stiles argued for a significant increase in funding for capital repairs and student support, stressing that the current funding formula is inadequate. “We are on a track where, in the next 10 years, 75% of schools won’t meet the minimum SOGR standard,” she warned. “We can’t afford not to invest in the education of our children. It’s about what’s good for our economy and the future of Ontario.