Ontario’s education minister has lifted a provincial supervision on the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. Minister Liz Sandals made the decision to lift the appointed supervision; days after the board eliminated its deficit and posted a surplus of $5.4 million. “Now that the board has passed audited financial statements, has fully addressed its operating deficit, and has a plan in place to address its capital deficit, I’m confident it is in a position to make responsible decisions on behalf of its students,” Sandals said in a statement. The ministry appointed Janine Griffore, and eventually her predecessor Norbert Hartmann, to help restore the board’s financial sustainability. As CTV News reported Tuesday, it’s taken the board four years to get to this point. "The single biggest contributor was the removal of post-retirement benefits, that alone saved $4.7 million," says Mario Iatonna, WECDSB Business Manager. The board was also able to enroll 58 students they weren’t expecting, that alone brings in $500,000 to board coffers.
