Budget approved at Greater Essex County District School Board

The Greater Essex County District School Board office, located at 451 Park Street West, on March 19, 2024

The Greater Essex County District School Board has given its stamp of approval for the 2026-27 budget.

The budget was presented on June 16 which included a projected surplus of $185,000. The budget of $581.5-million for the upcoming school year was approved by the board on Tuesday.

It includes an operating budget of $536.3 million and a capital budget of $45.1 million. The operating budget still reflects the surplus of $185,000.

The board is projecting an enrolment of about 33,526 students for the 2026-27 school year, which is nearly 1,200 less students compared to the current year. Due to that decrease, the board is eligible for $5.1 million in bridge funding.

Following a $6.3-million deficit in the 2024-25 school year, the board was required to create a Multi-Year-Financial Recovery Plan to avoid possible supervision by the Ministry of Education. The board also had a deficit of $988,000 in the 2025-26 school year.

The GECDSB states that the 2026-27 budget meets the requirements of the Education Act and the board’s Multi-Year Financial Recovery Plan.