TORONTO—Spending on public schools in Ontario increased 3.1 per cent per student in recent years, surpassing the national average, finds a new study by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.
“Contrary to what we often hear, spending is on the rise in Ontario’s public education system, and it’s increasing at a faster rate than in other parts of the country,” said Jason Clemens, Fraser Institute executive vice-president and co-author of
Education Spending in Public Schools in Canada, 2020 Edition.
The study finds the total amount spent on the province’s public schools increased by more than nine per cent, from $25.5 billion to $27.9 billion, from 2012/13 to 2016/17, the most recent year of available Statistics Canada data.
This spending increase occurred while student enrolment declined by approximately 24,500 students. This is part of the reason why per student spending is increasing; even small increases in spending get amplified when the number of students declines.
In fact, after adjusting for inflation and enrolment changes, per student spending increased by 3.1 per cent over the same five-year period, which was higher than the national average increase of 2.9 per cent.
By comparison, while Ontario spent $13,894 per student in 2016/17, Quebec spent $11,543 per student that same year.
“In critical policy discussions, especially those that affect our children’s education, it’s important to understand exactly what’s happening with public education spending,” Clemens said.
“In Ontario, the evidence is clear—spending on public education, after adjusting for inflation and enrolment changes, has increased over the past few years.”
Media Contact:
Jason Clemens, Executive Vice-President, Fraser Institute
Tegan Hill, Junior Economist, Fraser Institute
To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:
Bryn Weese, Fraser Institute
bryn.weese@fraserinstitute.org