Better Saskatoon Catholic Colleges approves 2021-22 funds, says extra funding wanted – Saskatoon

By Gwen Christensen Last updated Jul 2, 2021

The Catholic schools in the greater Saskatoon area are not cutting any apprenticeships.

However, the GSCS board of directors says current government funding for education is not keeping pace with inflation.

The board passed a balanced budget for 2021-22 on Monday, but questioned the long-term stability of funding.

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“Saskatchewan is spending more and more funding on preschool education through 12th grade, but the provincial grants are not keeping pace with the inflationary growth we are seeing on the cost side,” said chairwoman Diane Boyko.

“It becomes difficult for school departments to maintain – let alone increase – the level of service to students and families if only some increases are recognized and others are not.”

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Negotiated increases in salaries for teachers are covered, but negotiated increases in other occupations are not, Boyko said.

The board is increasing the staff to accommodate a projected increase of 955 students for the coming school year, including 15 apprenticeship positions, 17 positions for educational assistants and six new positions in the student union in full-time equivalents (FTE).

“This year’s budgeting process has brought many of the tensions in our ministry back to the surface: there is always more that could be done to help our students and families than resources to reach them,” said Greg Chatlain, director for Education and CEO of GSCS said in the budget report.

“Increased costs associated with negotiated contract increases along with inflationary costs need to be addressed.”

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The construction of the new St. Frances Cree Bilingual School has top priority for the Capital Costs Director.

The demolition of the former Sion Middle School on 7th Street East will begin this summer, and the board has allocated $ 5.8 million for the detailed planning and start of construction on the new school.

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved a balanced budget of $ 208.67 million on Monday.

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This includes a $ 190.36 million operating grant from the Saskatchewan government, an increase of 1.36 percent.

“A fund increase of less than two percent over five years is hardly enough to cover the inflationary increase in the budget of the Catholic schools of Greater Saskatoon,” Boyko said in the report.

“We will continue to work to ensure that the provincial government closes the gap between received and (expected) funding.”

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