Ontario NDP releases education platform in Nepean

Their plan would clear the backlog of school repairs

Where’s the money coming from? On the same day Ontario PC leader Doug Ford was in Ottawa, NDP leader Marit Stiles stopped by Maison de la Francophonie d’Ottawa on Richmond Road to announce her plan for fixing schools. 

During her Tuesday morning announcement in the school gymnasium, Stiles spent a lot of time bashing the Conservatives for how they’ve handled the education system, but offered little details of how her plan would be funded. 

What would be included: The biggest piece of the pie is $830 million a year for 10 years to clear the repair backlog in schools. More teachers and education workers would be hired, there would be further investments in French-learning, and more funding would go to student transportation. 

  • “Right now our schools are literally falling apart. We have a $22.3-billion repair backlog that was left behind by the Liberals and was allowed to grow and fester and grow again by Ford,” said Stiles. 

The NDP leader also committed to having a universal food program in schools. The federal government announced a similar $1 billion program last year, but Ontario is the only province not taking part. 

Support from the teachers federation: The Ottawa Carleton unit of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario noted the NDP promises were very similar to the concerns addressed by members. They took particular interest in the enhanced special education teacher funding, which would help with violence in the classrooms.

A different plan for transit: Unlike the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals, which have committed to the province taking over Ottawa’s LRT system, the NDP government would opt for a 50/50 cost-sharing plan instead. 

  • “The City of Ottawa cannot afford to operate the transit system in a way that meets the needs of the people. A 50/50 cost sharing for transit would be a game-changer for this city to be able to provide transit in a way that is both efficient and effective,” Ottawa Centre NDP candidate Catherine McKenney told the Lookout. “That allows the City of Ottawa to keep transit fares stable and it actually allows for fares to be greatly reduced.”