In Manitoba, a large part of the funding for schools is derived from local property taxes as set by local school divisions. This means that areas with higher property values generally receive greater funding for their local schools. Schools in areas, both urban and rural, with lower property values don't receive as much funding for their schools.
The provincial government contributes some of the funding for schools, but a large portion comes from local property taxes.
This system is old-fashioned and out of date.
In fact, Manitoba is the only remaining province in Canada to fund its schools this way.
We are calling on the PCs, the NDP and the Liberals to pledge to join the rest of the country and fully fund the education system from the provincial government’s general revenue. This would allow funding to be set equally for students across the province and not be based on property values.
More funding means more teachers, as well as providing important programs that contribute to the health, and wellbeing of children such as school breakfasts.
For example, Southwest Horizon and Lord Selkirk School Divisions collected the most property tax revenue per student in the province in the 2021/22 school year. In Southwest Horizon, it was $8,331 per student and $7,342 in Lord Selkirk compared to the provincial average of $5,256. These two school divisions had respectively the fifth and sixth-best student-to-teacher ratios in the 2021/22 school year.
On the other hand, areas with less property tax revenue had worse student-to-teacher ratios. For instance, Beautiful Plains School Division had the worst student-to-teacher ratio in the province and had the sixth lowest property tax per pupil (only $3,993). Things weren't much better in the Garden Valley School Division, which had the second worst student-to-teacher ratio and came in seventh lowest in property taxes collected per student ($4,163).
By signing this petition, you are telling the PCs, the NDP and the Liberals that Fair School Funding is an important issue to you in this fall’s provincial election.
