Ontario's pre-budget consultations are underway! From now until Feb 10, let the provincial government know what's important to you. Budget consultations are a critical opportunity to help shape the social and economic outcomes across the province.
True to our commitment to equitable, welcoming, accessible and affordable public spaces, this year our budget submission focuses on activating school facilities outside of the regular school day, making them a place for growth and well-being for the entire community. We know that community use of schools is a cornerstone of healthy and vibrant neighbourhoods. Getting families and community members back into these spaces is an important element to supporting Ontarians’ prosperous recovery from the effects of the last three years.
Recommendations
The SPACE Coalition urges the Government of Ontario to immediately invest an additional $19.44 million to capitalize on the existing investment in community use of schools and related programs. These new funds will be comprised of:
- $3 million to the core Community Use of Schools (CUS) program (i.e., 10% increase to the 2022/23 approved allocation).
- $7.04 million to support school board-led community outreach.
- $8.25 million to support free/low-cost permits in high needs neighbourhoods.
- $1.15 million to Focus on Youth program (i.e., restore it to the 2018/19 funding level and add a 10% inflationary increase).
Read our full pre-budget submission here.
Use our submission or our briefing note, Moving Forward: Maximizing Community Use of School Spaces, to craft your own submission!
Send your own submission to the Ministry of Finance by February 10:
Email:
You must:
- include your name or the name of your organization
- use “2023 Budget Consultations” in the subject line
- attach your submission as a PDF or Word document
Mail:
The Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy
Minister of Finance
c/o Budget Secretariat
Frost Building North, 3rd floor
95 Grosvenor Street
Toronto ON M7A 1Z1
Find out more about the 2022 Budget Consultations.