By Andi Argast
At least two Centretown school trustees are running for re-election in the upcoming municipal election in November.
Albert Chambers, chairman of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and trustee for Zone 10, and Thérèse Maloney Cousineau, the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board trustee for Vanier-Rockliffe and Centretown have both declared their intent to run again.
Both identify funding as one of the election’s primary issues.
Cousineau, a trustee since 1984, says current funding for new schools and for upkeep of older buildings is inadequate.
“The province doesn’t allow for new schools unless there is a 100 per cent occupancy rate in the existing schools,” says Cousineau. “In the older neighbourhoods, there is not enough money for the maintenance of older schools.”
Temporary solutions, such as portable classrooms are not sufficient, adds Cousineau.
“There are 387 portables in the district right now. There are children who have never been taught in a regular classroom.”
According to Cousineau, portable classrooms are associated with health problems, creating a poor environment.
“High schools that were built only a few years ago already have portables,” she says. “Hopefully the funding formula will change. In the meantime, I will be lobbying the MPPs to get changes that are badly needed.”
Albert Chambers characterizes current funding for schools as “impossible.” Sixty-one million dollars has been cut from a budget of $521 million over the past three years, and another $23 million will be cut from the current budget of $514 million.
“It’s what we should be spending versus what the province thinks we should be spending,” Chambers says.
“I want people to think, ‘Ottawa is a good place to live. It’s a good place to raise my kids,’” says Chambers. “I feel the school board has a very influential role in ensuring the quality of life in this area.”
Chambers is also concerned about high school curriculums, saying that issue has been ignored.