The Burnaby school district got an unforeseen $1-million boost from the provincial government this week, and school board chair Ron Burton didn’t even take a jab at the B.C. Liberals for the timing of the good news announcement – less than one year away from the next provincial election.
“When they do something good, you’ve got to give them credit for it,” Burton told the NOW. “Hopefully it will continue, that they will give those savings back to us.”
In February 2015, the province announced districts around B.C. would have to trim a combined $54 million in “administrative savings” from their budgets – $29 million for the 2015/16 school year and $25 million for 2016/17.
On Tuesday, the government said it had decided to redirect the $25 million for 2016/17 back to the districts instead.
For Burnaby schools, that will mean an extra $1,027,783 cash for next year.
“It helps. Every increase in funding definitely helps,” secretary-treasurer Greg Frank told the NOW.
Letting districts keep the money will allow them to redirect it to frontline services, stated a government press release.
"We are giving districts the ability to invest in their individual priorities," Education Minister Mike Bernier said in the release. "This provides a great opportunity for each district to spend the money in a way that will best meet the needs of the students of that district."
Brushing aside cynicism about the timing of the announcement, Burton said the extra million is a positive step.
“We’ve been talking to (the government) as well as to (B.C. Liberal Burnaby-North MLA) Richard Lee, who I’m sure relays everything we say to the government,” Burton said, “so maybe they heard us talking and heard the board say we need the money, so it’s good news. It would be good if they’d make it permanent. It’s only committed to the one year, but it’s a step in the right direction for us.”
