Better quality, lower cost: One Ontario, one school system

Queen’s Park – Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish a public commission to explore merging the public and Catholic school boards. 
He is accusing the Liberals of putting politics ahead of improving our kid’s education in the wake of a new report showing how Ontario can save up to $1.9 billion by moving to a single school system with French and English boards.
 
“Education Minister Liz Sandals and Premier Kathleen Wynne should be ashamed of supporting a discriminatory education system that delivers less quality at a higher price,” says Schreiner. “Today, we have yet another report that shows how Ontario could create fair schools and save billions by moving to a single public school system with French and English boards.”
 
A new report released by the Fraser Institute shows that Ontario could save between $850 million and $1.9 billion by moving to one public school system with French and English boards. Comparing Ontario with BC, the report also argues that Ontario could improve classroom education while saving money.
 
“The Liberals have a clear choice,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all kids or protect the entrenched interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others.”
 
The GPO believes that inaction by all three status quo parties at Queen’s Park is failing our children. At a time when parents across the province are rallying to prevent school closures and schools don’t have the resources to serve children with special needs, the government can no longer turn a blind eye to wasteful duplication that compromises quality education and segregates kids along religious lines.
 
“It’s time for the Liberals to put our kids first, ahead of their own political interest in supporting a vocal interest group unfairly benefiting from the status quo,” says Schreiner.
 
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