Petition: Tell Ford to Fund Schools

Every year, schools across our city face significant challenges due to chronic underfunding by the provincial government. The consequences? Overcrowded classrooms, schools that are falling apart, program cuts, and students lacking essential resources.

This year, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) faces a massive deficit again. Without intervention, this will lead to even deeper cuts in education.

Sign our petition to urge Premier Doug Ford, Education Minister Todd Smith, and your local Trustee and MPP to fully fund education:

How did we get here?

Ever since Premier Ford and his conservative MPPs were elected in 2018, funding for education has dropped $1,500 per student per year in Ontario. [1] Funding has not even kept up with inflation [2].

And the pandemic added increased pressures to an already chronically underfunded education system both here in Toronto and across Ontario. Here in Toronto, the TDSB incurred $70.1 million in costs to keep students, teachers, and communities safe during the peak of the pandemic.

These additional costs were taken from the TDSB’s reserve funds and the province had initially agreed to reimburse the board. But now, the TDSB has a multi-million deficit in their 2024-2025 budget, and Ford’s government is providing less, not more, funding, which will leave the TDSB no choice but to make cuts.

What can this year’s budget shortfalls mean for schools and students across our city?

  • Loss of educators and teachers

  • Overcrowded classrooms with multiple grades

  • Cancellation of continuing education programs like Learn4Life

  • Loss of child and youth support workers

  • Loss of extracurricular activities like field trips

  • Crumbling school infrastructure

These cuts will have devastating impacts on students. Schools are still struggling to recover from the pandemic and students are in need of more support, not less. Tell the provincial government to stop the cuts and finally appropriately fund education.

 

How much is the province underfunding education?

The TDSB has identified a “structural deficit” that is causing education to be chronically underfunded. [3]

The province underfunded school boards across Ontario by $2.5 billion compared to 2018-2019 last year [4] and the underfunding is only getting worse. Ford and his MPPs are gutting public education and students are feeling the impact the most.

It is time for Ford to take responsibility and invest in education. If Ford’s government reimbursed pandemic related costs to the TDSB and other boards, then we would be able to avoid cuts to programs and resources that are critical to students’ learning.

The provincial government has the power to fund schools and make sure all students get the education they deserve, but they are choosing not to. Tell the provincial government that you want more investment in public education, not less: