On March 5, 2026, Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra placed the York Catholic District School Board under provincial supervision to address ongoing management and financial issues. This change affects Catholic schools across Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario, where an outside official will now make major decisions instead of the local elected trustees.
The provincial government stepped in after months of public arguments between board members and concerns over the board running out of savings. According to Pope Francis Catholic Elementary School, the board is now the eighth in Ontario to be placed under this type of direct control in recent years.
Minister Calandra, who also serves as the local representative for the region, had given the board a two-week warning in late January 2026 to fix these internal problems. The decision to appoint an outside manager was made after the board failed to show it could manage its own affairs and resolve disagreements between its members effectively.
Under this new arrangement, the elected trustees will lose their power to make most decisions for the school system, including how money is spent. While trustees will still handle matters related to religious rights, the provincial official will oversee the general operations and finances to ensure the schools are managed properly for local families.
