Sask. schools left in the dark about funding, budget deadline extension
Despite promises of more money and an extension to the budget deadline for schools, the Saskatchewan government has been mum on details.
Earlier this month, a Ministry of Education spokesperson said school divisions would be granted a deadline extension for submitting their budgets for the next school year.
As of this week, multiple school divisions told CTV News they hadn't heard anything and were still busy trying to create their budgets based on the money they were promised in the provincial budget.
"We have not received any specific information from the Ministry of Education as to the extended deadline and additional funding. We cannot approve a final budget until we understand what additional funding is coming from the province," a Saskatoon Public Schools spokesperson said in an email on Tuesday.
As of Wednesday morning, the Chinook School Division said it hadn't received "any details regarding a deadline extension or additional funding."
"We are currently working with our original budgeting deadlines," a division spokesperson said in a statement.
The Ministry of Education has not responded to CTV News' requests for comment.
The province's divisions are typically required to submit balanced budgets by June 30, a task which the divisions says has been complicated by the uncertainty about how much money they will receive from the province.
Following an outcry over the education funding in this year's provincial budget, Premier Scott Moe promised more money would be coming to the divisions.
"There is no detail on how much money will be provided nor when it will be given to school divisions. This uncertainty makes our planning very difficult," Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) said in a letter sent to parents in mid-May.
GSCS and other divisions argued what the government described as "record spending" for education amounted to a less-than-one per cent increase — insufficient to handle growing enrollment.
As one example of budgetary pressures, the Chinook division said it's receiving hundreds of dollars less per student than during the 2015-16 school year.
The letter from GSCS, along with similar letters to parents and caregivers sent by other school divisions, outlined cuts to programming and additional fees for parents.
The Minister of Education is expected to speak at a news conference Thursday afternoon in Saskatoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Security Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
BREAKING Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
BREAKING Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.