SUDBURY, ON – CUPE 5569 and the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) strongly condemn the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s decision to move ahead with staffing reductions despite projected increases in enrolment and provincial funding for the 2026–27 school year.
The Board recently notified CUPE 5569 that two speech pathologists and two library technician positions will be cut for the upcoming school year. Additionally, the school board is reducing two Designated Early Childhood Educators from permanent full-time positions to casual positions.
CUPE 5569 represents over 350 education workers at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, including early childhood educators, educational assistants, office staff, library technicians, social workers, and other frontline support staff who help keep schools safe, inclusive, and functioning every day.
“These cuts are creating significant stress and uncertainty for our members,” said Corry Allair, President of CUPE 5569. “When positions are eliminated, the impact doesn’t disappear with a budget line. The work still needs to be done, and that responsibility is pushed onto fewer staff. Over time, that means increased workloads, reduced services, and fewer opportunities for students to receive the support they deserve.”
The staffing reductions come despite provincial funding projections showing growth for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. Total Core Education Funding for the Board is projected to increase by almost 4 percent, approximately $4.46 million, and the Learning Resources Fund is projected to increase by close to 10 percent at $1.86 million, while Classroom Staffing funding is expected to increase by approximately $938,580.
At the same time, provincial enrolment projections indicate the Board will welcome approximately 184 additional students, representing enrolment growth of 2.7 per cent.“The question seems less about whether funding exists and more about how available funding is being prioritized locally,” said Allair. “When funding is increasing and more students are entering our schools, it is difficult to understand why education workers are being cut. Our members aren’t just names on a spreadsheet; they are the frontline safety net for our kids. Cutting speech pathologists and library technicians directly hurts early literacy and early childhood development. When you eliminate these roles, you are telling parents that their kids will wait longer for help or go without it entirely. Our community deserves to know why a board with millions in new funding is choosing to give our students less support, not more.”
The OSBCU says the situation reflects a broader crisis facing Ontario’s publicly funded education system, where boards continue to make difficult staffing decisions despite growing student needs.
“What we are seeing at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is part of a larger pattern playing out across Ontario,” said Joe Tigani, President of the Ontario School Board Council of Unions. “Education workers are essential to student success. They support students with special needs, maintain safe learning environments, and ensure schools operate effectively every day. When these positions are cut, students and families feel the impact.”
CUPE 5569 and the OSBCU are calling on the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to reconsider these staffing reductions and prioritize frontline services that directly support students.
“Students deserve the supports they need to succeed,” said Tigani. “That requires investing in the education workers who provide those supports every day. The OSBCU stands with CUPE 5569 members as they continue to advocate for quality public education, good jobs, and the services students depend on.”
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For more information, please contact:
Shannon Caaranco, CUPE Communications, [email protected], 514-703-8358
