Bacchus welcomes increased funding but warns its not enough

Vancouver, B.C. – (March 3, 2010) – Vancouver School Board Chair Patti Bacchus is pleased to hear the province will fund the teachers’ provincially negotiated salary increase and reinstate at least for 2010-2011 the Annual Facilities Grant that was canceled last August, but warns the district still faces $17.6 million in unfunded costs.

“We appreciate the government’s pledge to restore the $10.6 million facilities grant up to March 2011 and that it will also fund the negotiated teachers’ salary increase over the next three years, but we are deeply concerned that we will not be funded for our increased operating costs to simply carry on the same functions next year that we are this year,” says Bacchus.

These unfunded costs include: non-teaching staff salary and benefit increases of $4.7 million, teachers’ pension plan contribution increases of $2.8 million, Medical Services Plan contribution increases of $200,000, carbon offset purchase costs of $300,000, and inflation on goods and services of $900,000. The Board also funded part of last year’s budget shortfall using most of the remaining reserve funds.  Since this is one-time money, funds are no longer available to cover those operating costs, which amount to $7.7 million.

The district also projects it will lose approximately $1 million due to a continued decline in student enrolment.

“The bottom line is we are still facing a projected shortfall of about $17.6 million, which comes on top of accumulated cuts totaling $47 million that have occurred in the past decade,” says Bacchus. “The situation would be far worse if the facilities grant and teachers’ increase weren’t funded, but it will still be very difficult to make reductions to balance the budget.”

The Vancouver School Board is embarking on its budget and public consultation process. More information can be found on the district’s website at www.vsb.bc.ca.

-30-

For more information:

Patti Bacchus, Chairperson – 604-250-1130