Latest News

Richmond School District trustees are discussing this year’s budget, including potential job cuts.

Photo by Hannah Scott

School district budget projecting more staff cuts

By Hannah Scott

Published 3:26 PDT, Thu April 28, 2022

—

Facing a substantial shortfall this year, Richmond School District trustees are considering a proposed budget that would see about 20 jobs cut.

While several new jobs would be added, the proposed cuts would result in the reduction of 15 CUPE positions, three Richmond Teachers’ Association (RTA) positions, and 2.3 management positions.

Among the lost positions are five secondary school library technicians, five career information advisors, and an Educational Assistant for literacy support position—a job filled by the same experienced and specially-trained individual for nine years.

This year’s shortfall is estimated at $3.9 million, and if not dealt with this year it will continue and impact future years’ budgets, said the district’s secretary treasurer Cindy Wang at last night’s board meeting.

“Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the district has been facing a new fiscal reality,” added Wang.

Board policy requires two to four per cent to be kept as a reserve fund. This year, some reserve funding may be used to help balance the budget, effectively deferring the remainder of the shortfall—$1.36 million—for a year.

While proposed staffing cuts were kept to a minimum, Wang said 92 per cent of the district’s budget is in staffing. Without external revenue from government or other sources, cuts must be made to balance the budget. Additionally, the five days of paid sick leave recently legislated by the province must be paid by school districts, not through provincial funding.

Stakeholder groups expressed their disappointment with the position cuts.

“The RTA is vehemently opposed (to) cuts,” said RTA president Liz Baverstock. “We need a provincial budget adjustment to reflect rising costs.”

With inflation rising, Baverstock said the province should recognize “that initiatives and ideas must be funded, or they come at a cost—and that cost is people. Progress is not sustainable without additional funding.”

Baverstock said the RTA would prefer to see the budget delayed to June so trustees can advocate to the province for more funding. Richmond District Parents Association president Andrew Scallion echoed that sentiment. However, Wang said there are more disadvantages to delaying a month, particularly since the province’s annual budget is already set and unlikely to change.

CUPE president Ian Hillman said he was astonished that the district was proposing to add a manager position given the job cuts.

“Fiscal responsibility demands no increases in staffing when jobs are being cut,” said Hillman.

Several members of the public, including two library technicians, spoke on the importance of their role.

Trustees voted unanimously in favour of a motion to write a letter to B.C.’s education ministry about the sick day funding, as well as inviting Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside to visit the district and meeting with local MLAs to discuss concerns. There was also some discussion about advocation to the federal government.

Last year’s school district budget saw the equivalent of 34.9 positions eliminated.

The budget issue will come back to the board at its next meeting on May 25. Members of the public can watch live via Zoom.