Manitoba Education Minister Discusses Funding Challenges with BSD Trustees

Manitoba Education Minister Tracy Schmidt held a virtual meeting with the Brandon School Division (BSD) board of trustees on January 15, 2024, to address pressing issues surrounding school funding ahead of the upcoming provincial budget. Both parties described the discussions as timely yet challenging, as the province prepares to unveil its education budget in early February.

The meeting, originally scheduled to occur in person, was conducted via Zoom and included all nine BSD trustees, along with senior officials from the Department of Education. A primary focus was the financial strain on the Brandon School Division due to the ongoing harmonization of teacher salaries across Manitoba. This initiative aims to standardize teacher pay between divisions but has disproportionately affected regions like Brandon when compared to divisions based in Winnipeg.

Schmidt acknowledged these financial pressures, stating, “There are several factors that drive school funding, including enrolment. Salary harmonization pressures are something that the Brandon School Division and other school divisions across our province are facing this year. We understand that pressure, and we’re going to work with them to make sure they can not only meet their salary expectations but also provide great programming for students.”

The conversation was part of a broader consultation process with school divisions throughout Manitoba. Schmidt expressed appreciation for the time spent with the board, highlighting the importance of these discussions as the province approaches its budget announcement.

Linda Ross, chair of the BSD board, attended part of the meeting before excusing herself due to health reasons. She noted, “I think it’s fair to say that both the division and the province are facing challenging financial issues. We were able to bring forward our concerns and ask that they be kept front of mind as the government prepares funding documents for K-12 schools.”

Trustees seized the opportunity to articulate Brandon’s financial situation clearly. Vice-chair Duncan Ross, who chaired the remainder of the meeting, commented, “The only item on the agenda was funding. Every trustee spoke about the concerns we have in Brandon going into this year’s budget, especially with teacher salary equalization and how that affects us more than some other divisions.”

Despite presenting their case, Ross left the meeting with limited optimism regarding the outcome. “We weren’t able to get any hard answers, of course, because the budget numbers aren’t finalized. Based on what we heard, I wouldn’t say I have my hopes up. The province is clearly in a tough financial position as well,” he remarked.

The uncertainty surrounding provincial funding has raised concerns about the potential options available to the division should funding fall short of expectations. These options could include raising property taxes, cutting programs, or a combination of both. Schmidt reassured attendees that the province has already made strides to enhance school funding compared to previous years. “There’s not one school division that has seen its budget cut since we were elected. We’ve also reinstated school divisions’ ability to raise local taxation. We believe we’ve struck a good balance, and we’ll continue to work with Brandon to respect taxpayers while providing strong educational opportunities,” she stated.

Duncan Ross acknowledged the possibility of a double-digit property tax increase but deemed it unlikely. “I think that’s pretty remote. But February is going to bring some tough decisions. It’ll likely be a mix, like last year — some cuts and some tax increases — depending on what funding we receive. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to be a fun conversation,” he noted.

The Brandon School Division is facing a challenging financial outlook, with early projections indicating a potential shortfall of $6.8 million. This deficit could result in a property tax increase of over 10% for owners of typical homes valued at $301,000, followed by an additional 6% increase the following year.

The issues highlighted in Brandon are not isolated, according to Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba School Boards Association. He emphasized that school boards across the province are urging the government to fully cover the costs associated with salary harmonization. “We’ve made it very clear that we expect the provincial government to fully fund harmonization costs. If they don’t, another double-digit tax increase will be inevitable for many divisions, or boards will be forced to make staffing cuts,” Campbell remarked. He estimated the total harmonization cost across Manitoba at approximately $22 million, noting that staffing represents about 83% of most school divisions’ budgets.

The ongoing discussions between the provincial government and the Brandon School Division underscore the complexities and challenges associated with funding education in Manitoba, particularly as the budget deadline approaches.