The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has approved a $3.5-million deficit budget for the 2026-27 school year, more than a year after the provincial government took control of its finances. The budget includes funding for 21.5 new educational assistants, investments in school infrastructure, and an 11 per cent reduction in board administration costs.
Declining Enrolment Drives Deficit
The board said declining enrolment continues to reduce provincial funding, a key factor behind the projected deficit. Without cost-cutting measures, the deficit would have reached $18.5 million, according to the board. The savings allowed more money to be directed toward frontline supports.
The budget was approved by provincial supervisor Bob Plamondon, who replaced elected trustees in June 2025 after the province cited financial management concerns. The OCDSB declined an interview request, stating it was not within the supervisor's mandate to do media interviews.
New Educational Assistants and Indigenous Education
The budget allocates funding for 21.5 additional educational assistants: 13.5 positions to support students with increasingly complex needs and eight to support Indigenous students. It also includes a $6.2-million annual operating budget for Indigenous education.
Elected trustee Donna Blackburn supported the addition of educational assistants but said the increase was insufficient given the board's size. “We have 150 sites, so adding 21 EAs is nowhere near enough,” she said.
Capital Plan and School Infrastructure
The $88.5-million capital plan includes the opening of Brian Mulroney Elementary School this fall, continued work on a new secondary school in Barrhaven's Half Moon Bay community, and projects focused on accessibility, water quality, and air conditioning in schools. Additional spending on classroom learning resources, technology, and school repairs is also included.
Criticism from NDP Education Critic
Ottawa West-Nepean MPP and Ontario NDP education critic Chandra Pasma criticized the budget, saying it raises questions about the province's decision to place the board under supervision. “It shows how ridiculous the minister’s narrative was about how we needed to have a supervisor,” Pasma said. “He made deep and painful cuts, and yet he still hasn’t balanced the budget.”
Pasma also argued that cuts extended beyond administration, affecting office staff, custodians, and tradespeople. “When he’s saying he’s made administrative cuts, well, a number of the cuts that he’s made have been office staff, who are the ones that keep schools running,” she said. “He’s cut custodians and tradespeople, saying that he wanted every dollar going into classrooms. Well, ceilings and floors are also in classrooms, and bathrooms might not be, but they’re still pretty crucial to student success.”
Board's Perspective
The board stated on its website that the budget “puts students first” and represents “significant progress towards financial health.” The 11 per cent reduction in administration costs includes a 16 per cent cut in spending on directors and supervisory officers, part of an effort to improve finances.
