Sask. Teachers’ Federation, school boards voice displeasure around $4.6B education budget

The province is building on many previously announced initiatives in its $4.6 billion budget for education. Keenan Sorokan reports.

Education advocates say investment into classrooms has fallen short in the province’s 2026-27 budget. The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) intends to raise the issue as bargaining negotiations quickly approach.

Announced Wednesday, Saskatchewan’s provincial budget delivers $4.6 billion for education, an increase of about $221 million from the $4.4 billion allocated the previous year.

Of that funding, the Ministry of Education itself will receive $3.6 billion, a two per cent increase over the 2025-26 budget, which includes funding for pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 education, early learning, childcare, as well as libraries and literacy.

Despite the apparent increases in funding, the STF accused the provincial government of abandoning its commitment to public education, noting that last year’s budget provided an increase of 8.4 per cent due largely in part to the bargaining agreement achieved through job action.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, STF President Samantha Becotte described the budget as “pretty terrible.”

“It leaves students completely out. There is nothing in there that is going to protect their classrooms or support them going into the future,” she said.

“What we see here is essentially a decrease of $33 per student when you adjust for inflation … so that just means that students are going to get less support in their schools and classrooms next year.

In a statement provided after the release of the budget, the STF said it is preparing to enter a new round of bargaining this spring, as the budget has “shown students, parents, and teachers the only way this government will invest in public education is if it is forced through immense public pressure, legal obligations, and the loss of seats.”

Other elements of the budget included funding for an additional 50 specialized support classrooms, for a total of 108.

As part of the ministry funding, $2.5 billion will be allocated to Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions to cover operating costs, a 2.6 per cent increase over last year. That includes funding for the 50 specialized support classrooms, salary and benefit increases, inflationary pressures, and enrolment growth.

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“The 2026-27 budget is protecting education by ensuring students in Saskatchewan are getting their best start,” Minister of Finance Jim Reiter said during a media briefing on Wednesday.

“The specialized support classroom model provides targeted assistance to help students in building stronger self regulation skills so they’re better able to focus and participate, enhancing educator capacity to better support all students in the classroom.”

As part of the province’s capital plan, $123.8 million will be provided for new and ongoing school capital projects, including a new joint-use school in Martensville-Warman, a new pre-kindergarten school in Shellbrook, and major renovations to Esterhazy High School.

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Work will continue on several other school projects in the province, with six schools also receiving funding for minor capital renewal projects to address structural repairs and renovations.

During a media briefing, NDP Leader Carla Beck pointed to the number of schools in poor condition in the province.

“There’s a pretty long list when it comes to capital requests within the Ministry of Education … and the price tag on those facilities, those capital requests, only grows year over year,” she said. “We should prioritize poor condition buildings, [if] we wait on the investment, those buildings are just going to cost us more next year.”

Following the release of the budget, Shawn Davidson, president of the Saskatchewan School Board Association, said there are both positives and negatives, noting the results of the budget were not surprising.

“On the operating side, we do see some investment in these specialized support classrooms which has been largely successful in school divisions, and we certainly appreciate the funding to continue to expand that program,” he said.

However, Davidson said he thinks the budget falls short of a significant investment in allowing school divisions to roll out some new programming and innovative ideas, noting pressures in areas like transportation and facility maintenance costs.

“I think the thing that we’re probably the most disappointed about is a lack of further investment in preventative maintenance and renewal funding,” he said. “That’s the funding that school divisions would use to repair and maintain their schools.

The budget provides $425.5 million for early years and childcare, an increase of $12.3 million, which includes funding to maintain the $10 per day childcare for children under six. As of April 1, the coverage will be expanded to include children who turn six on or after April 1, while in kindergarten until the end of the school year in June.

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Also included in the education budget is $11.7 million to support the provincial public library system, which includes an increase of $175,000 for public library operating grants, $9.2 million to enhance school food programs, and $1.1 million to support literacy initiatives.

Of the total education budget, the Ministry of Advanced Education will receive $847.1 million, which includes $68 million for the Graduate Retention Program. Those who have graduated from a post-secondary education institution in Saskatchewan and choose to stay in the province to work will receive up to $24,000 in tax credits, distributed over a seven year period.

As well, a new multi-year funding agreement will provide about $250 million to post-secondary institutions over the next four years. The budget also includes about $78.5 million to support almost 190 training seats to support the new Patients First Health Care Plan.

Speaking to reporters, Education Minister Everett Hindley said the budget is about protecting investments made in Saskatchewan.

“We know that these are some challenging times … we’re working very hard within the envelopes of money that we do have to make sure that we continue to build upon some of the investments we’ve already made and protect the investments that we do have, whether it’s school capital, whether it’s operating, child care sector,” he said.

“These are significant areas of priority for Saskatchewan families so we’re proud to be able to continue to do that work.”

When asked about the operating funding and if it is enough to make a difference overall to classrooms, Hindley said there has been about a 20 per cent increase to school operating in the past three years.

“I would say that is a very significant amount and a clear indication of the government’s commitment to education. We recognize that there are growing costs for our school partners and we understand that, but I think that this is an important investment to show that we’re continuing to move forward,” noting that the investments the government makes is for long-term sustainability.