Ontario government takes over TDSB, three other school boards, citing 'mismanagement'
The Ontario government announced it will be appointing supervisors to oversee four school board districts in the province after an investigation raised concerns about the financial stability of the institutions.
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The affected boards include some of the largest in the province, including Toronto (TDSB), Toronto Catholic (TCDSB), Ottawa-Carleton (OCDSB) and Dufferin-Peel (DPCDSB).
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'Each of these boards has failed in its responsibilities to parents and students by losing sight of its core mission — ensuring student success,' Minister of Education said Paul Calandra said in a news release Friday.
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The ministry's press release said an investigation into the four school boards revealed 'instances of mismanagement and poor decision-making that put its long-term financial health at risk.' The government said the TDSB has rejected nearly half of the cost-saving measures management has recommended over the past two years and the board relies heavily on proceeds from asset sales to balance its books.
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Toronto Catholic 'is at risk of default in the coming years' after tripling its deficit, compared with the prior school year, the announcement reads. Meanwhile, Ottawa-Carleton 'depleted its reserves, incurred an accumulated deficit,' the government wrote, noting that the board plans to offset the deficit 'from asset sales to balance its books.' Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, meanwhile, is 'at the brink of bankruptcy,' Calandra said.
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The audit of OCDSB and TDSB, according to the provincial government, was overseen by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), while Deloitte conducted the investigation of TCDSB.
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Chandra Pasma, the education critic for the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), condemned the move calling it 'nothing short of a power grab.'
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Pasma blamed the Ford government which 'has chronically underfunded our education system,' that will undermine the schooling of students.
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Calandra framed the announcement as a step toward financial propriety and a better long-term investment in local schools.
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'We're strengthening oversight and accountability so that parents can have the confidence that every dollar is spent responsibly to directly benefit students. I have made it clear that if a school board veers off its mandate, I will take action to restore focus, rebuild trust and put students first.'
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