Provincial funding may not cover teachers’ salaries

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This article was published 14/02/2025 (295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The recent increase in provincial education funding may not be sufficient to cover teacher salaries and anticipated staffing costs in the Brandon and Beautiful Plan School Divisions.

The funding allocation, part of the Manitoba government’s 2025-26 budget, is under scrutiny as school boards prepare for budget deliberations later this month.

The Brandon School Division is set to receive $77.9 million in total operating support, with $1.1 million allocated for nutrition. The Beautiful Plains School Division will receive a total operating support of $17.9 million, which includes $200,000 in provincial nutrition funding. Fort La Bosse School Division is expected to receive $10.4 million, including $200,000 for nutrition. Mountain View School Division will receive $28.1 million in total, with $400,000 designated for nutrition.

Park West School Division is set to receive $14.1 million, with $300,000 allocated for nutrition. Rolling River School Division’s total operating support is $12.7 million, including $200,000 for nutrition. Southwest Horizon School Division will receive $11.1 million, with $100,000 allocated for nutrition. Turtle Mountain School Division will receive $7.0 million, which includes $100,000 for nutrition.

The Brandon School Division is still analyzing the details of the funding allocation, which was only received recently, Supt. Mathew Gustafson told the Sun on Thursday.

However, he explained the increase in provincial funding alone is “not expected” to cover the rising costs of salaries and additional staffing required due to enrolment growth.

“The board has given senior administration direction to build a preliminary budget back in November based on maintaining enrolment growth and anticipated salary costs,” Gustafson said. “We do know that there will be a shortfall.”

The funding represents a 4.0 per cent increase from the previous year, amounting to an additional $3 million.

The board trustees are concerned the increase will not be sufficient to keep up with rising costs, particularly as new collective agreements with teachers and support staff include salary increases, board vice-chair Duncan Ross told the Sun on Thursday.

“The board members are worried and concerned about the financial outlook,” he said.

Ross highlighted two key financial pressures: wage increases for teachers and support staff under newly negotiated collective agreements, and the need to hire additional staff due to continued enrolment growth in Brandon.

“Now that’s going to cost because the division will need to pay higher salaries next year simply to maintain existing staff,” he said.

“Frankly, I would be surprised if the funding covers salary, based on the few numbers that I’ve seen. If funding falls short, the upcoming budget discussion on February 26th could revolve around potential cuts rather than enhancements to division services.”

He emphasized the importance of balancing financial constraints with the need to accommodate student growth, while avoiding substantial property tax increases. “I don’t want us to be in a situation where we’re not able to hire enough staff to account for the growth in the number of students that we have,” he said. “But at the same time, I also don’t want to raise property taxes by X number percent, if I can avoid it, right?”

He added final budget decisions depend on funding details from the province, which have yet to be released. “This is the latest that I believe it’s ever been for us to receive our funding details, and we still haven’t received them,” he said, describing the situation as uncertain.

Regarding the possibility of a property tax increase, he acknowledged that it would be part of the discussion if provincial funding does not cover staff wages and new hires.

“We have the ability to raise property taxes, but within reason,” adding the board would have to weigh tax increases against budget cuts. “Neither of which are things we like to do,” he admitted.

The recent increase in provincial funding does not cover the salary increases outlined in the teacher collective agreement for the Beautiful Plains School Division, its secretary-treasurer Shannon Bayes told the Sun on Thursday.

“The increase in funding from the province does not cover the salary increases,” Bayes said in an interview. “I guess in a simple term, we would need a three-and-a-half percent increase to cover that.”

Regarding the division’s next steps, she explained that the board would need to review the funding details before deciding on a course of action.

“We’ll need to go to our board with the funding announcement to let them know, I guess, obviously the announcement and what it means for us, and then they’ll need to deliberate on what steps they need to take,” she said. “Yes, taxation would be considered, but I don’t know at this time if that’s where they will be going.”

Regarding the potential impact of another tax increase — given that many divisions raised taxes last year — Bayes acknowledged that any change in taxation would affect residents. “A taxation increase or a tax change will impact residents — there’s no doubt it will,” she said.

Bayes indicated that trustees had not yet had a chance to discuss the funding announcement but emphasized that they always consider both students and the broader community in their decisions.

“I know trustees, as a blank statement, always keep in mind the impact to not only the students but the communities, right? And the communities include our taxpayers too,” she said.

Mountain View School Division acting Supt. Suzanne Cottyn did not respond to the Sun’s phone calls.

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