School Boards under the spotlight: budgets and transparency

Joe Volpe August 25, 2026

TORONTO – I do not want to rain on anyone’s parade. As a country, we apparently told our next-door neighbour, and partner in commerce (trade worth an estimated, $1.3 trillion or 56% of our annual GDP, according to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce), to go Find Oscar. Our courage was evidently spurred by a “disagreement” regarding $29 billion – circa three days’ worth of that business. One suspects, because we do not know, the sum is not as insignificant as it seems at first glance because it may represent the proverbial “Trojan horse” ahead of the scheduled CUSMA negotiations on the immediate horizon.

We will see. Such is the nature of a federation where “national interests” are difficult to priorize and excruciatingly complex to effect and monitor. As citizens, the impact of our engagement may be measured by the 10-minute democratic exercise – the time it takes us to exercise our vote; if we do. Our attention may wane as more immediate, local issues jump to the fore.

Believe it or not, municipal and school board structures affecting our local taxes and welfare of our children will eat up most of our attention. I fall into the category that does not believe “that more bike lanes” is the magic serum for health, wealth and happiness.

School boards, who and why they develop policies, how these are administered, the integrity and accountability of the people in charge, are more immediate to the people impacted by the administration of same. They deserve scrutiny because they are directly responsible to the parents of the children entrusted to their policies for development and whose tax contributions sustain the system.

Those school boards – operationally and on policy – have for too long escaped scrutiny. That oversight has not notably been improved with “supervision”. In fact, the depth to which the operational side of boards had descended may be seen in the letters that have poured into our office regarding the medical health of children impacted by decisions made by [former] trustees at the behest of Senior staff.

They merge with the ongoing criticism of the decision not to terminate the contract of the TCDSB staff who presented a budget for approval showing a $100 million surplus in February 2024 and by November of 2024 represented one showing a deficit of $40 million. Some of the trustees who advocated for both and more, are seeking re-election because they either “love” their job, enjoy being manipulated by Staff or are unable to distinguish their obligations in deed and in purpose.

Yesterday was the last day for City officials and Board staff to ascertain the veracity of the documents presented by candidates for eligibility. Some have already been told their registration was being withdrawn for them. Others may follow suit.

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