On Tuesday, the Physical Planning, Finance, and Building Committee discussed a $517,000 surplus from 2025-26, that it be used to hire more Educational Assistants.
“Can we choose to use surplus in a one-time spend for the next current year? No, it would need to be approved through a deficit budget because we’d be spending 25-26 dollars in 26-27.”
Trustee Ernie Parsons.
“I’m going to have trouble explaining that to parents. You got a surplus, but my autistic child has no EA. That’s disturbing. Bureaucracy makes the issue very complex, but parents will have trouble—I would have trouble if I was a parent and my child lost their EA.”
Board CEO Katherine MacIver says surplus funds are only to be used as part of a Deficit Recovery Plan.
“When we’re dealing with $275-million, we’re getting within less than half of a percent to accurate budgeting. This is actually a celebratory perspective on the board as far as being in a healthy budget position.”
Trustee Rachel Prinzen.
“We know that we need EA’s, we know that this is a big issue. I am hearing some upsetting stories from parents, and I, too, would like to advocate for more EA’s. If we can ask the Ministry for that, I’m wondering if that’s an option.”
In the end, the committee voted in favour of recommending for Board of Trustee approval, that Chair Kari Kramp write the Minister of Education, requesting permission to use surplus funds to hire more Educational Assistants.
It will come for a vote at the next meeting of the board.
