Ottawa's public school board proposes $19 million in savings to balance 2023-24 budget
Ottawa's public school board is proposing $19 million in savings to balance its 2023-24 school year budget, including efficiencies in teacher salaries and a 10 per cent cut in school budgets through a reduction in paper usage and photocopying and an increasing shift to electronic learning materials.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board tabled its $1.1 billion draft operating and capital budgets for the upcoming school year Wednesday night. The Ministry of Education increased student-based funding by $33 million for the new school year.
Staff had warned the board was facing a $19 million budget shortfall due to the removal of COVID-19 funding, changes in provincial transfer payments, rising operating costs and increasing costs for replacing absent teachers.
To help balance the books, staff outlined potential savings, efficiencies and opportunities to find $19 million in savings. The efficiencies include:
- $7 million in salary-related cost savings for teachers. "This savings is generated through the difference in average salary costs for experienced employees at retirement and the lower average salary costs for new hires," the report says.
- $2.3 million in savings through the reduction of 21 full-time equivalent positions
- $1.2 million in savings by leveraging deferred funding opportunities in Special Equipment Amount allocation
- $2.6 million in efficiencies by reducing computer and license purchases for the 2023-24 school year
- $2 million in priorities and partnerships funding
- $1.8 million in savings in departmental budgets
- $1 million in savings in school budgets through a 10-11 per cent reduction in budgets for the 2023-24 school year. "This reduction can likely be realized through reductions in paper usage, photocopy, and the increasing shift to electronic learning resources/materials," the report says. "Recognizing that reductions may affect schools differently depending on the needs of students and staff. To that end, a review of how the redistribution will be implemented will take place over the summer months to ensure an equitable lens is used to enable all schools to meet the needs of students and staff."
- $500,000 in facilities department savings, including overtime, cleaning services, mileage budget, clock maintenance and radio repairs
- $400,000 in efficiencies through the Menstrual Equity Project budget
The 2023-24 school year budget has funding for 4,984 full-time equivalent staff positions in elementary and secondary schools.
The budget includes an additional $11.5 million to the occasional teacher budget. The new budget will be $31.5 million, "which better aligns with previous year expenditures," the report says.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board's budget will increase rental costs for Community Use of Schools by 5 per cent for the 2023-24 school year. The board anticipates an additional $300,000 in revenues to help offset rising costs.
Ottawa's public school board's budget includes a $140.3 million capital budget.
Three OCDSB committee of the whole budget meetings will be held this month before the budget is approved: June 6, June 12 and June 19.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.