Community members and education workers will gather in Aurora on April 7, 2026, to protest proposed school budget cuts. The rally, organized by CUPE Local 1196, is set to take place at 4:45 p.m. at 60 Wellington St. E. to advocate for increased public education funding.
The local union, which represents caretaking and maintenance staff at the York Region District School Board, is calling for residents to join them in support of stronger resources for students. The event is part of a broader push by the Ontario School Board Council of Unions, an organization representing 57,000 frontline education workers across the province.
Organizers are speaking out against provincial funding levels, which they argue have not kept pace with inflation or the growing needs of students. While the provincial government cites a record $30.3 billion in education spending for the 2025-2026 school year, educators contend that adjustments for inflation actually equate to cuts. Data suggests that public education in Ontario has been underfunded by $6.3 billion since 2018, with per-pupil funding seeing a $1.4 billion reduction in the current school year alone.
The financial pressure is being felt across the province, as more than 40 percent of school boards are currently managing serious deficits. In response to these financial challenges, Education Minister Paul Calandra has intervened in several school boards, including the York Catholic District School Board, citing management concerns. Critics argue that these takeovers sideline local trustees and ignore the underlying issue of insufficient provincial funding.
Locally, the York Region District School Board managed to pass a $1.8 billion balanced budget for 2025-2026, though the board continues to navigate financial pressures and its first enrolment decline in 30 years. As current collective agreements approach their expiration in August 2026, unions are warning that thousands of education workers across Ontario could face layoffs in September without a change in funding direction.
