Have you wondered how the local candidates in the provincial election plan to deal with the public education system and the need for more school spaces both in Bradford and also beyond?
Since Ontario Progressive Conservative leader and then-premier Doug Ford called an early election on Jan. 28, candidates have been lining up to offer their visions for the riding of York-Simcoe before voters go to the polls on Feb. 27 — about 15 months ahead of schedule.
As part of our Ontario Votes election coverage, BradfordToday attempted to ask all eight registered candidates to explain how they would tackle four key issues in the riding: traffic and transportation, lack of access to health care, the need for more spaces in schools, and growth management — including how they would handle the housing crisis while also addressing impacts on the environment and agriculture.
In order of the number of votes received in the riding for each party during the 2022 election, this is how candidates responded to the question: If elected, how would you address education and the need for more school spaces?
Fatima Chaudhry — Ontario Liberal Party
With York-Simcoe’s growing population, we need more schools, more teachers, and smaller class sizes. The Ford government has underfunded education, leading to overcrowded classrooms and fewer resources for students. I will advocate for increased education funding, new school construction, and better support for teachers to ensure that every child gets a quality education close to home.
Justin Graham — Ontario New Democratic Party
I feel the medical and school systems have been extremely underfunded, leading to burnout and lack of retention as well as lack of interest from community members entering post-secondary educational institutions. The under-funding is undermining our social, health care and education systems, to the benefits of private profiteers in an effort to capitalize on what I believe are human rights.
Brent Fellman — New Blue Party of Ontario
There does need to be an overhaul in the overall curriculum.
There are some kids in the schools who have difficulty in that academic setting and don’t relate to tests and exams — lets get them into some more practical things, where they can get outside, learn how to build things, how to cook on a fire, how to setup a tent, just basic things.
There’s a lot of administration-heavy funding going on, a lot of layers of government in the administration. We would say reduce your administration and send (that funding) to the classroom.
Have someone who, their whole job is to create very effective lesson plans that would be good for the classroom ... easy to follow for the teachers and very engaging for the students.
We do need to look at how to get students engaged in education, and teaches are very busy with the paperwork they need to do.
Sean Conroy — Ontario Libertarian Party
Ontario’s publicly funded education system requires significant reform, because there is a lot of bureaucracy that robs from the tax dollars that are being allocated to the education system and the actual services provided to our students.
An example is there’s 72 school boards in Ontario. That leads to administrative bloat and consolidating many of the overlapping positions within the school boards would free up a lot of resources for areas that require more funding.
A system should also be implemented that empowers parents to direct the funding of their chosen educational institution. In essence taking away catchment areas and allowing students and parents to direct their children to whatever schools mostly fit or align with their educational rules.
If we eliminated the catchments and it became a choice, then I do feel that students would able to receive the education that would better suit their needs.
Franco Colavecchia — Ontario Moderate Party
The main purpose of our schools is not to provide knowledge to our kids, but to indoctrinate them with the ideology of Conservative/Liberal coalition. Our solution is to open a private school in the frame of our own ideology/lifestyle.
Editor's note: Some responses have been edited for length. Caroline Mulroney (Ontario Progressive Conservative Party), Jennifer Baron (Green Party of Ontario) and Alana Hollander (Ontario Party) have not responded to requests for comment as of the publication of this article.