Ontario school boards get updated funding tables, new RAAC removal grants, and clarified language-program eligibility rules

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted

This amendment updates the core education funding regulation for Ontario district school boards for the 2025-2026 fiscal year in several practical ways. Funding tables for special education, transportation, and language programs have been revised with new dollar amounts reflecting revised enrolment estimates rather than earlier projections. Boards that have schools containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) can now access new dedicated funding—up to board-specific maximums listed in two new tables—to cover design, construction, and project management costs for removing and replacing RAAC. Several funding components (ESL/ELD, FSL, ENA, FFL, EPAF and related labour relations components) now explicitly state whether they apply to English-language or French-language boards, removing prior ambiguity. The deadline for boards to spend their school renewal allocation without risking a future deduction has been extended by one year. Boards relying on short-term borrowing for capital projects should also note that the allowable interest rate cap used in the interest cost calculation has been raised from 0.75% to 1.05% above the Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average.

Who this affects
district school board finance and planning staff · school boards with RAAC-affected buildings · English-language district school boards · French-language district school boards · Ontario Ministry of Education grant administrators