In 2023/2024, expenditures on salaries, wages, and benefits for instructional and educational services staff in Canadian public schools rose 8.7% to $54.9 billion, the largest single year increase since 1976/1977. These costs accounted for just under three-quarters (72.9%) of total school board operating expenses, driven primarily by record enrolment growth and the implementation of new collective agreements.
Canada's population grew by 3.2% in 2023, the fastest rate since 1957, reaching 40.8 million by January 1, 2024. This population growth has contributed to an increase in student enrolments for Canadian elementary and secondary schools, which rose by 125,200 (+2.3%) during the same period, marking the largest increase since enrolment statistics were first compiled in 1997/1998. To accommodate this surge in enrolment, the number of public-school educators also grew, up by 2.1% in 2023/2024. Consequently, these trends have contributed to higher overall expenditures on salaries and benefits.
