Fraser Institute News Release: Six out of 10 provinces increased per-student spending on public schools, even after adjusting for inflation
August 22 2024 - 5:00AM
Despite common misperceptions, per-student spending on public
schools increased in six of the 10 provinces over a 10-year period
(after adjusting for inflation), finds a new study published by the
Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public
policy think-tank.
“Contrary to what we often hear, spending on public schools is
on the rise in most provinces across Canada,” said Michael
Zwaagstra, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and co-author of
Education Spending in Public Schools in Canada, 2024
Edition.
From 2012/13 to 2021/22 (the latest year of available data),
after adjusting for inflation and enrolment changes, Quebec
experienced the largest per-student spending increase on public
schools (33.7 per cent) followed by Prince Edward Island (21.6 per
cent), Nova Scotia (12.3 per cent), British Columbia (6.7 per
cent), New Brunswick (1.5 per cent) and Ontario (0.5 per cent).
As a result, Quebec is now the highest per-student spender in
Canada, Saskatchewan dropped from the highest per-student spender
to seventh highest, and Alberta went from third-highest to the
lowest spender. Meanwhile, B.C. recorded the fourth-highest growth
in per student spending (again, after adjusting for inflation) but
remains the eighth-highest spender in Canada.
During the same 10-year period, Saskatchewan (-14.9 per cent),
Alberta (-17.2 per cent), Newfoundland and Labrador (-9.8 per cent)
and Manitoba (-0.2 per cent) experienced a decline in per-student
(inflation-adjusted) spending on public schools.
In every province, compensation (salaries, wages, fringe
benefits and pensions) comprised most of the spending growth.
The available data from Statistics Canada does not differentiate
between permanent ongoing spending and temporary COVID-related
spending in 2020 and 2021, which may affect spending levels and
growth in both of those years.
“It’s important for parents and policymakers to have accurate
information about spending on public schools where the majority of
kids are educated,” Zwaagstra said.
MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Zwaagstra, Senior
Fellow, Fraser Institute
To arrange media interviews or for more information, please
contact:Mark Hasiuk, Senior Communications Specialist, Fraser
Institute(604) 688-0221 ext. 517mark.hasiuk@fraserinstitute.org
Follow the Fraser Institute on
Twitter and Facebook
The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy
research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver,
Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of
think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality
of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by
studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of
government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their
well-being. To protect the Institute’s independence, it does not
accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit
www.fraserinstitute.org.