English Montreal School Board votes unanimously to sue Quebec over budget cuts

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) intends to take the Quebec government to court over education budget cuts after adopting a unanimous motion.

The board on Monday decided to join the legal challenge led by the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA).

“We would have to make harmful cuts that would have a detrimental impact on the future of the students. So, we didn’t see any other choice,” said board chairperson Joe Ortona.

The EMSB could be facing more than $20 million in financial losses, including nearly an $11-million budget cut and a $10-million penalty if the board fails to meet strict staffing caps imposed by the province.

Ortona, who is also head of QESBA, says the province is imposing unrealistic conditions that are impossible to meet, adding that the cuts will affect students.

“I think of support services for special needs students. I think of, you know, music programs, arts programs, sports concentration programs, extra curricular activities, breakfast programs,” Ortona said.

Ortona says the board does have a surplus of nearly $8 million from the previous school year, but the government says they’re not allowed to use that money.

Heidi Yetman, president of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, says schools are already underfunded.

“And it sends a message that education is not important, that public education is not important because what it does is it pushes parents towards the private sector,” Yetman said. “We’re seeing this across Canada, in many provinces.”

Her group applauds the EMSB’s move.

This comes in the wake of the province saying it would have to reduce funding by $570 million for the fall, but after some pushback Education Minister Bernard Drainville then said he is investing up to $540 million for the network.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board told CTV News that it is analyzing the potential impacts of budget cuts and will do everything possible to not affect services to students. Other school boards have yet to react.

Ortona says if they don’t hear back from the province by Friday, it will officially file the court challenge.

CTV News reached out to the education ministry for comment but did not hear back before publication time.