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Ontario records surplus in last fiscal year and a drop in education spending




Allison Jones, The Canadian Press



Published Friday, September 23, 2022 4:45PM EDT



TORONTO – Ontario ended the last fiscal year with a $2.1-billion surplus – a far cry from the $33-billion deficit projected in the budget – thanks to inflation and stronger economic growth, officials said Friday.

The surplus is a result of revenues that were 20 per cent higher than the 2021 budget forecast, largely coming from taxes, due to higher-than-expected inflation and nominal GDP growth more than five points higher than the average private sector forecast at the time of

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Alberta education minister appoints commissioner regulating teachers

Alberta Education Minister Adriana LaGrange has appointed lawyer Julia Sproule as the province’s first teaching profession commissioner.

A Wednesday cabinet order made official Sproule’s five-year term starting Jan. 1. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) will no longer be in charge of professional discipline and Sproule will oversee a new complaint process for the province’s teachers beginning next year.

It’s a new job created after the government passed a law in May aiming to eliminate any potential conflict of interest for the association that also represents 46,000 teachers as a union.

A University of Alberta

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Saskatoon Board of Education calls for long-term funding after one-time offset – Saskatoon

The Saskatoon Public Schools board of education approved a revised budget after the Government of Saskatchewan announced funding for the province’s school divisions amid inflationary costs.

$20 million was announced back in July and divided among the 27 school divisions, with $1,579,400 going to Saskatoon Public Schools.

The original budget came with a number of cutbacks, as 12.7 full time equivalent elementary teaching positions and 6.9 full time equivalent positions in secondary schools had to be dropped due to a $4.5-million shortfall.

Read more:

Saskatchewan Catholic board of education sees government funding, but still faces deficit

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Election explainer: How does education funding work in Ontario?

This primer explains how education funding in Ontaro works.This primer explains how education funding in Ontaro works.

From staffing and class sizes, to new school construction and and mental health supports, funding is at the heart of many hot button education issues in Ontario.

But how does it work? Is it the Ministry of Education that makes funding decisions, or local school board trustees? How is money allocated to school boards?

With the Oct. 24 municipal election on the horizon and voters across Ontario set to elect school board trustees, what better time to brush up on the basics of education funding?

How much money are we talking about?

The province is spending $26.6 billion on education

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COVID-19 harmed literacy development of younger NB students: minister

FREDERICTON — New Brunswick’s Department of Education says mental wellness remains a concern as students return to class after two years of disruptions due to the pandemic.

FREDERICTON — New Brunswick’s Department of Education says mental wellness remains a concern as students return to class after two years of disruptions due to the pandemic.

The 2021-22 provincial assessment results released today show about 30 per cent of students from Grade 6 to 12 felt lonely most or all of the time, while nearly 50 per cent reported spending three or more hours a day on social media.

It says about

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NB education minister to keep close eye on COVID-19

New Brunswick Education Minister Dominic Cardy answered some outstanding questions on the upcoming school year Wednesday, promising that if public health advises COVID-19 measures be reinstated, he will not hesitate.

That includes mandatory masking.

Right now, Cardy says he’s encouraging students and staff to do whatever they’re comfortable with.

“We’re still in COVID, we know that COVID is airborne, we know that COVID is going to continue to present stresses,” he said.

Cardy also said he’d like to see more children get the COVID-19 vaccine, now offered to children six months and older.

Two years ago, Cardy presented a bill

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Abduction, murder of Eliza Fletcher leaves University of Memphis students shocked

The education community was left stunned by the kidnapping and murder of Eliza Fletcher, a Memphis teacher who was abducted during an early-morning jog near the University of Memphis (UofM).

Some UofM students expressed shock that the incident happened so close to where they travel to class daily. Many students asked to remain anonymous. “It is frightening and discouraging that it can happen so close to here.”

RELATED: New details surrounding the death of Eliza Fletcher released

After an intense 3-day search for the missing jogger, Memphis Police confirmed Tuesday morning that the body found in the 1600 block of

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Alberta advanced education minister extends deadline for Athabasca University to move staff to town

Alberta’s advanced education minister has extended a deadline for a distance learning university to move more staff to the small town where it is headquartered.

Demetrios Nicolaides says he’s granted a brief extension for Athabasca University to comply with his decree to move 500 staff to the town the institution is named for.

READ MORE: Advanced education minister says Alberta will help with relocation of 500 Athabasca University school staff

He has threatened to withhold the school’s $3.4-million monthly grant if the school fails to comply.

Nicolaides did not specify a new deadline.

The university has resisted the demand, saying

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