TDSB floats closing swimming pools, eliminating some music instructors to offset $58M deficit

A Toronto District School Board logo is seen on a sign in front of a high school in Toronto, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Facing a $58-million deficit for the 2025-2026 academic year, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is considering closing more than half of its swimming pools and eliminating some music instructor positions in an effort to keep its head above water.

The recommendation is one of several cost-saving measures detailed in a report considered by the board’s Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee Wednesday afternoon.

In the report, the board notes that it owns and operates 66 pools across the city for which it does not receive money from Ontario’s Ministry of Education to run. Of those pools, 27 are leased to the City of Toronto and two to private third parties after school hours, agreements which are projected to generate more than $6 million in revenue this school year.

However, because operating costs eclipse those revenues at an estimated $17.2 million, the board is proposing closing the pools that aren‘t leased to shift to a “cost recovery” structure and laying off all 86 of its aquatic instructors.

“TDSB does not have funding to continue to operate pools that are not leased by the city or a third party on a cost recovery basis. At this time, this would mean the closing of thirty-five pools across the city,” the report reads, adding that the move would save the board $12.8 million in annual operating costs.

Also included in the report is a recommendation to eliminate the board’s 74 itinerant music instructors, delay the delivery of electronic devices to students and tweak outdoor education activities to a “cost recovery” model as well.

For the TDSB’s part, a spokesperson told CTV News Toronto in an emailed statement that despite the recommendations, “no final decisions have been made.”

“While a number of options have been brought forward for consideration, it will ultimately be up to school Trustees to make any final decisions as part of the annual budget process, with a final decision expected in late June," the board said.

During Wednesday’s meeting, TDSB director of education Clayton La Touche acknowledged that what staff are proposing will affect the student experience.

La Touche said the board’s financial situation left staff “no fat to trim,” and the ability to “trim around the edges” has been significantly reduced.

“Just know that had other options having less impact and presenting less difficult circumstances been available, those are the options that staff would have brought forward, and please understand that we bring these options forward because they are required for us to meet our statutory obligations,” La Touche said.

TDSB Associate Director Stacey Zucker reiterated to trustees that the options being presented are within the control of the board and will allow it to balance the budget.

“We don’t feel like we have any other choice,” she said.

During the meeting, Zucker said staff conducted a public consultation this month to determine what options to put forward, which included four budget town halls, delegations, and a staff-initiated budget survey.

She said staff looked at options with the least impact on students.

“We are at the point where the things that we’re going to be looking at do impact some programming that we provide,” Zucker said.

Petition to keep pools open

The proposal to close some of the school board’s aquatic facilities is already making waves online and has since caught the attention of Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow, who launched a petition alongside board Trustee Shelley Laskin to save the pools.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that Toronto’s school pools are once again at risk. Learning how to swim is an essential part of a child’s education,” the pair wrote, noting that the TDSB previously recommended closing most school pools in 2008 to save money before the province stepped in with funding.

“Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the same situation again…that’s why we are calling on the Government of Ontario to take responsibility and step in to protect these neighbourhood assets.”

Speaking to CP24 Wednesday afternoon, Matlow urged the Ontario government to adequately fund education in the city and across the province.

“Our communities can’t be left dry without our pools,” he said, noting the facilities not only serve students but also seniors and other community members.

“Our pools in our neighbourhoods are where people go to enjoy that recreation, and we will be poorer forward if they let these pools be shut down, because once they’re closed, they’ll never come back.”

Ministry of Education responds

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said the TDSB has been given a “record increase” in education funding this school year and received “multiple opportunities” to address its deficit.

“TDSB was directed to submit a multi-year financial recovery plan to address their serious ongoing financial issues. To date, the board has not produced a trustee-approved financial recovery plan to respond to concerns that identify strategies to eliminate their deficits,” the ministry said.

The report notes that because the board is required to submit a balanced budget to the Ministry of Education, it was ready to implement a deficit recovery strategy that was pitched in the fall and would have left the board with an $11-million deficit for next year. However, the board said that the ministry rejected that plan.

Last week, the province announced it was launching a financial probe into three boards, including the TDSB, over ongoing financial deficits and spending concerns.

The ministry said at the time that the probe, which also includes the Toronto Catholic District School Board and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, opens the door for the province to take control of all three boards spending, depending on the results.

Trustees held a special meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss Calandra’s announcement.

During an earlier meeting of the committee, Trustee Dan MacLean admonished the minister who touted the province’s record investments in education.

MacLean said education funding has not kept up with inflation, and the TDSB continues to deal with that.

“It is my personal opinion that if the minister and his staff are serious about wanting to locate the source of the TDSB’s persistent budget challenges, I respectfully suggest that he and his team look in the mirror,” MacLean said.