Our government is working diligently to address the priorities of Ontarians. In this special edition of the Weekly Update, dedicated entirely to Education, we are pleased to share the latest developments on what the Province is doing to:
- Crack Down on Cellphone Use and Ban Vaping in Schools
- Build More Schools than Ever
- Demand Accountability from TDSB for Student Success
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Ontario Cracking Down on Cellphone Use and Banning Vaping in Schools
Ontario is introducing the most comprehensive plan in Canada to reduce distractions in classrooms and improve the health of children by standardizing and strengthening provincewide measures and mandatory learning to directly counter the alarming rise of vaping and cellphone distractions within classrooms.
As students benefit from three more years of uninterrupted learning as a result of the government’s historic signing of deals with all teachers’ unions, the government is taking further action to go back-to-basics by combating the negative impact mobile devices, social media and vaping are having on in-class learning.
“We have heard loud and clear from parents and teachers alike that cellphones in classrooms are distracting kids from learning,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. “Our government is introducing the toughest policy in Canada to tackle this issue by cracking down on cellphone usage during class time, as well as banning vaping in all schools. When it comes to cellphones, our policy is ‘out of sight and out of mind,’ as we get students back to the basics by restoring focus, safety and common sense back in Ontario schools.”
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Students in kindergarten to Grade 6 will be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the entire school day, unless explicitly permitted to use them by an educator. For students in Grades 7 to 12, cellphones will not be permitted during class time unless explicitly allowed by the educator. Moreover, social media websites will be removed from all school networks and devices, and report cards will include comment on students’ distraction levels in class. The government will provide mandatory training for teachers and new supports for students and parents.
The government is also strengthening the rules around students caught using or carrying vapes or cigarettes. Students will be required to surrender these products, along with parents being notified immediately of the situation. The government also officially announced $30 million in the 2024 Budget to install vape detectors and other security upgrades in schools.
To support these initiatives, the government is investing $17.5 million in new wrap-around supports for student mental health and parent engagement. This will include:
- $15 million to provide supports for students at risk of addictive behaviours
- $1 million to partner with School Mental Health Ontario to develop webinars and resources targeted to parents and students across the province to learn how to talk about the adverse effects of vaping and excessive cellphone usage
- $1.5 million to Parent Involvement Committees and students to run local prevention campaigns to help deter vaping and cellphone distractions
These changes and investments are part of the government’s plan to get students back to basics. By removing distractions in the classroom, students can focus on learning the skills they need to succeed after graduation.
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Ontario More Than Doubling Funding to Build New Schools
The Ontario government is investing a historic $1.3 billion to support the construction and expansion of 60 schools across the province. For the first time in the province’s history, the government is more than doubling the funding commitment to build more schools and expansions, which will create 27,093 new student spaces and 1,759 child care spaces.
This investment is part of the province’s plan to ensure that the public education system focuses on what matters most: important life-long skills such as reading, writing and math; improving accountability and transparency for parents and families; and maximizing capital assets.
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“This $1.3 billion in funding represents the single largest investment in school building in Ontario’s history,” said Minister Lecce. “We are stepping up with a massive investment to build the homes, schools, and communities our province needs, and to ensure children have access to state-of-the-art schools close to home that give them real life and job skills to succeed in the future.”
Since 2018, the Ontario government has approved or supported the development of over 300 school-related projects including child care, of which more than 100 are actively under construction.The 2024 Budget: Building a Better Ontario continues to support the province’s work being delivered in the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act to build schools faster and better use taxpayer-funded assets.
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Ontario Demands Accountability from TDSB for Student Success
With a focus on going back-to-basics and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow, the Ontario government is increasing Core Education Funding (formerly GSN) for the coming school year by $745 million more than in 2023-24. Together with other investments, this represents $29 billion in total education funding and the largest investment in the history of Ontario’s education system.
In addition to these substantial investments, over the past five years, TDSB’s funding has surged by $128 million, even as student enrolment has dwindled by 4%, accounting for nearly 10,000 fewer students within their district. While student enrolment plummeted by approximately 4% since 2019-20, per-pupil funding has been increased by 8.7%.
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It’s evident that the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is failing in its ability to manage finances effectively and prioritize essential services for students across all grades, from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
The increase of TDSB staff on the “sunshine list” paints a concerning picture. In 2018, there were 3,337 TDSB staff members listed, costing taxpayers nearly $370 million. Fast forward to 2023, and a staggering 8,826 TDSB staff members found themselves on the sunshine list, amounting to a burden of over $935 million on taxpayers.
Now is the time for TDSB trustees to convene and redirect their efforts towards fostering student success and formulating a robust plan to achieve fiscal equilibrium. It’s paramount that TDSB reassesses its spending priorities and redoubles its commitment to providing quality education for all students within its purview.
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My constituency office is open Monday to Friday from 10AM to 4PM.
If you have any questions or concerns we’re readily available to assist you.
You can also reach us by phone at (416) 781-2395
or by email at robin.martin@pc.ola.org.
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Warmest Wishes,
 Robin Martin, MPP
Eglinton-Lawrence
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