Union challenges cuts amid growth in students and funding
CUPE Local 1453, which represents education workers across the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB), is calling on the board to withdraw plans to reduce staffing starting in the 2026–27 school year. The union says the board has given notice of its intention to eliminate 27 full-time equivalent positions, even as both enrolment and provincial funding are projected to increase.
The contemplated reductions cover a broad range of supports that families in Peterborough rely on, with the largest impact falling on educational assistants. According to CUPE, the cuts include 26.5 educational assistant (EA) positions, 2 registered early childhood educator (RECE) roles and 0.25 of a secretarial position. The union represents roughly 950 workers across the board, including EAs, ECEs, custodial and maintenance staff, office personnel and IT workers.
“Educational assistants are going into the summer not knowing if they will have jobs to return to in September,”
CUPE Local 1453 president Nora Shaughnessy said, adding that these workers provide essential day-to-day support for students.
What CUPE says is at stake
- Projected 2.2% growth in student numbers for the coming year, according to the union.
- A forecast 3.7% increase in provincial education funding to the board.
- An expected rise of 78 kindergarten enrolments, while RECE positions are slated for reduction.
CUPE argues the staffing plan runs counter to the needs of growing schools and will affect classroom support, particularly for students who rely on EAs and for early learners entering kindergarten. The union says the timing leaves many employees and families uncertain as they prepare for the next school year.
Breakdown of proposed reductions
| Role | Change (FTE) |
|---|---|
| Educational assistants | -26.5 |
| Registered early childhood educators | -2.0 |
| Secretarial | -0.25 |
| Total | -27.0 |
The union says reductions to EA staffing will ripple through classrooms across the PVNCCDSB’s jurisdiction — including Peterborough — where EAs frequently support students with learning needs, behavioural plans and daily care. The decrease in RECE positions, CUPE adds, appears at odds with the anticipated uptick in kindergarten enrolment, which relies on early years specialists to manage classrooms and deliver programming.
Calls for provincial action
The Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), which represents CUPE education workers provincewide, framed the situation as part of wider funding pressures within Ontario’s education system. OSBCU is urging the province to bolster investment in frontline staff, saying boards need stable resources to meet the needs of students and address growth. CUPE Local 1453 says additional provincial support should be directed to maintaining the personnel who work directly with children and families every day.
Board response pending
At the time of publication, the PVNCCDSB had not issued a public response to the union’s statement. Without comment from the board, it remains unclear how the planned reductions fit into its overall staffing model or budget strategy for 2026–27, or whether the figures cited by CUPE reflect preliminary allocations that could change before the fall staffing process concludes.
For Peterborough families, the stakes are immediate: EAs and ECEs are often the first line of support for students with special education needs and for young children starting school. With the board’s formal position not yet available, CUPE is pressing for a reconsideration that it says would align staff levels with rising enrolment and the increase in provincial funding. Parents and workers will be watching for clarity as schools prepare schedules and supports for the next academic year.
