From the Milton Constituency Association – Ontario Centrist Party
June 25, 2025
On June 24, the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) approved a balanced operating budget of $533.9 million for the 2025–2026 school year.
Board Chair Marvin Duarte and Director of Education John Klein praised the effort as fiscally responsible and aligned with their multi-year strategy. Despite being the lowest-funded school board per student in Ontario, HCDSB continues to meet compliance targets set by the Ministry of Education.
For Milton residents, the news is both reassuring and frustrating. The Board is doing everything it can with limited provincial support. But the reality is that funding formulas are not keeping pace with population growth, student need, or facility demand.
What the Numbers Show
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Projected total enrolment: 36,421 students across elementary and secondary levels
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Estimated revenue: $546.1 million
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Estimated expenses: $533.9 million
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Budget submission deadline: June 30, 2025
On paper, this is a balanced and compliant budget. On the ground, it reflects a system that is stretched thin, especially in fast-growing communities like Milton.
A Centrist Perspective on Education in Growth Regions
According to Syed Mohsin Rizvi, Chair of the Milton Constituency Association:
“Milton’s growth is visible in every classroom, every hallway, and every school parking lot. Our teachers are stepping up, but the provincial support isn’t keeping up. This is not about meeting minimums. It’s about building a future that works.”
The Ontario Centrist Party respects the careful stewardship shown by HCDSB leadership. But we also believe that the Ministry of Education must act to correct a structural imbalance in how education funding is delivered to high-growth communities.
What Needs to Change
1. Enrolment-Linked Capital Funding
The province should tie school capital project approvals directly to population growth data, so that new buildings are authorized as need increases, not delayed by bureaucracy.
2. Mid-Year Funding Adjustments
Current funding models rely too heavily on outdated projections. Milton needs a dynamic model that reflects actual student growth as it happens.
3. Frontline Support and Staffing Stability
Balanced budgets should not come at the expense of under-resourced classrooms or burnt-out educators. Investments in mental health, special education, and support staff must be built into the baseline.
Our Next Step
Milton continues to meet the challenges placed before it. But it cannot do this alone. The provincial government must treat growing communities like Milton as priorities, not footnotes.
The Ontario Centrist Party is preparing a public policy submission to the Ministry of Education that outlines common-sense reforms to ensure funding fairness across Ontario. Milton will be at the center of that conversation.
We encourage all residents — parents, students, teachers, and local leaders — to get involved.
Connect with the Milton CA
Website: https://ontariocentristparty.ca/milton
WhatsApp: CPO Milton CA Whatsapp