Is the Supervisor responsible for protecting denominational rights?
TORONTO – On the surface, in June of 2025, the Minister of Education placed the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), and several other Boards, under supervision for financial incompetence. Attached here you will find the TCDSB’s reaction as transmitted to its parents, promising three things: (1) work in partnership with the Ministry, (2) strengthen the financial position of the Board and (3) continue to prioritize student success and classroom supports.
Just to refresh memories of why the Minister stepped in to relieve the Board of any illusion of duty fulfilled on their part, under supervision, the powers of trustees are vested in the Supervisor, except for denominational matters, which will be deferred to the Board of Trustees for decision.
Why are those distinctions necessary and important? For one, denominational – religious – matters are not the purview of a secular authority under the Constitution. The provincial government, the Board and the Supervisor on behalf of both explicitly recognizes those limitations.
For another, the financial position of an enterprise with projected revenues for 2026-27 of $1.293 Billion and whose record includes burning through a $100 million surplus in 2023-24 which finalized in June 2025 at $58.1 million deficit should not be distracted by denominational duties.
Besides, since the revenue stream of the Board relies almost exclusively on Ministry funding and interest derived from them (all except approximately $38.1 million), the Operational side of the Board – the side that administers those funds for student success and supports – should concentrate on increasing the revenue stream.
If they had done so in the past, the Board might not be under supervision. By the way, each student generates approximately $14,000 in provincial funding (directly or indirectly). This coming year, TCDSB is projecting 1,467 fewer students.
At the elementary panel, all students wishing to register must give “proof of membership in the Catholic family”, otherwise funds cannot/should not flow to that Board. It is “the job” of Catholic trustees and clergy to recruit and the Senior Staff to maintain them by supporting student success.
It seems that they have chosen a different option. No pedagogical explanations accompany the revenue/expenses summary in the Budget overview for 2026-27 to “justify” how choices re savings measures and operational adjustments “minimize any [negative] impact on students and classroom learning.”
The “same people” who advised – “informed” the Board – prior to the arrival of the Supervisor have now provided him with the information to approve a preliminary deficit totalling $65.3 million. Cannot happen, he said, promptly revising that downward to $39.5 million.
Thirty percent (29.069 %) came because of the elimination of a 50-year-old International Languages program known as the integrated day IL program: the biggest single component of that saving fell on the back of 19,000 students and 77 teachers. Senior Staff all received a hefty raise (see the article – published on July 13, 2026 – here).
The TCDSB has forbidden trustees to attend school related events at churches, garden or public spaces to celebrate concerts and graduations. There has been only one TCDSB meeting this academic year – to change the name of a school.
(Tomorrow, part III)
