School board to cut nearly $1M from budget
By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative
A local school board commissioner says that it will be impossible to cut nearly $1 million from its budget without affecting students.
Chelsea Elementary school board commissioner Caryl Green told the Low Down that the province’s Ministry of Education has ordered the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) to chop $960,000 from its budget by March 31, 2025 – without affecting students.
“It is concerning, because we have to make cuts with no direct impact on students, but everything we do has an impact on our students,” said Green. “The impacts could touch Indigenous education, support for rural schools and even the extra resources for schools with high socio-economic needs.”
The cuts are part of wider provincial austerity measures that will see $200 million cut from the education system. Green said the cuts represent 0.6 per cent of the WQSB budget.
Other schools in the Outaouais – including French school service centres – will also see cuts. The Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO) board will be forced to reduce its expenses by $2,164,556.08.
Green said commissioners aren’t sure yet where the cuts will come, however she did say that a number of portable buildings that were planned for Chelsea school will no longer happen. Green said the current board hiring freeze won’t help either.
“This is just for the fiscal year, and then there’ll be a new budget in April from Quebec,” said Green. “But certainly, education has taken a big, big hit.”
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