Ontario Education Rallies: Protesters Demand Increased School Funding Amid Stalled Contract Talks
Teachers, education workers, students, and supporters rallied in five cities across Ontario Saturday to call for increased funding for public education in the province, as they have been without a contract since the end of August when their previous agreement expired.
Demonstrations across five Ontario cities
Demonstrations took place simultaneously in Toronto, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay. In Toronto, protesters gathered directly in front of Queen’s Park to voice their frustration over structural changes implemented by the provincial government.
Participants pointed to a recent report by Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office regarding the Ministry of Education’s 2026 spending plan. That report indicates that per-student funding has dropped to a 10-year low.
“Ontario’s public education system is at a breaking point,” said Joe Tigani, President of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions, in a news release issued on Saturday.
Protesters asserted that the provincial government has underfunded public education by $6.5 billion since 2018. Their demands center on smaller class sizes, enhanced support services for students with special education needs, and improved working conditions for all education staff.
Calandra announces 30.6 billion in education funding
The rallies occurred just weeks after Education Minister Paul Calandra announced that the provincial government provided $30.6 billion in core education funding to support the public education system.
Labor board dispute stalls teacher contract negotiations
Ontario teachers and education workers have been working without a contract since their previous collective agreements expired at the end of August.
Formal negotiations between unions and the provincial government have stalled. The delay stems from an active dispute currently before the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), which must determine which bargaining matters should be handled centrally and which should be deferred to individual school boards and local unions.
Ontario utilizes a two-tiered bargaining system. Central negotiations typically govern major financial items such as salaries and benefits, while local bargaining addresses issues specific to individual school boards, according to Toronto District School Board documentation.
Education unions plan strike votes for November
With negotiations frozen pending the OLRB ruling, all of Ontario’s major education unions are proceeding with plans to hold strike votes throughout November.
The Ministry of Education responded to the demonstrations through an emailed statement to CBC Toronto. Emma Testani, press secretary for Minister Calandra, stated that while the government respects the unions’ right to approach the OLRB, the legal process has delayed the resumption of talks.
“Once the OLRB process has concluded, we will be ready and willing to negotiate whenever the unions are ready to begin,” Testani stated. “Premature strike threats do not serve the interests of students and do nothing but create unnecessary panic for parents. Our focus is where it should be — getting to the table and reaching a deal that keeps students in the classroom.”