Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) Trustees approved the 2026-2027 school year budget at the June 10, 2026 Special Board Meeting.
Staff presented Trustees a budget that meets our legislative requirement with:
- Revenues - $957,101,695
- Expenses - $969,673,031
- Revenues - Expenses = $(12,571,336)
- Public Sector Accounting Board Adjustments (PSAB) - $5,922,583
- Difference - $(6,648,753)
As required by the Ministry of Education budget compliance regulations, this budget includes funding from WRDSB's accumulated surplus, resulting in a total budget deficit of $6,648,753.
The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) Financial Services team worked diligently with all departments to create the 2026-27 budget. They created a budget that prioritizes spending in support of student achievement and well-being. WRDSB remains focused on ensuring financial stability as we work towards achieving our academic and operational goals.
Investing to Achieve Our Operational Goals
The 2026-27 budget prioritizes a continuation of strategic investments in literacy, math, classroom safety and technology, which were first supported by Trustees in November 2025. These investments, totalling $6.6M in 2026-27, illustrate our ongoing commitment to improving student achievement and building confidence in public education. The budget also includes funding for classroom supplies for elementary teachers, curriculum resources and student transportation, in alignment with the Ministry of Education's Core Education Funding.
Targeted investments of $2.9M will be made to support the implementation of the Math Achievement Action Plan and WRDSB's Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan to further enhance in-school supports and build educator capacity, as well as educators working directly with students to leverage high yield instructional strategies to improve their literacy and math.
Further investments of $1.8M have also been made to enhance student supports and classroom safety; and $1.9M for technology and operations, including the ongoing maintenance and technology enhancements, and the implementation of the employee attendance support program.
Supporting Long-term Fiscal Responsibility and Viability
Looking ahead, we want to ensure that we prioritize the long-term financial viability of the WRDSB, while remaining transparent and accountable for how we support student achievement and well-being. This approach ensures stability while enabling impactful, system-level improvements aligned with the WRDSB's multi-year strategic objectives.
Like many other school boards across the province, the WRDSB is operating within a difficult fiscal environment that will require us to remain focused on our resource allocations across the entire system. In order to support our efforts to prepare a balanced budget in 2027-28, we will undertake a thorough review of our resource allocations to identify opportunities to achieve the necessary savings, while remaining focused on the priorities set out in our multi-year strategic plan.
The budget must also follow the funding regulations set out in the Ministry of Education's Core Education Funding, in compliance with the Education Act.
"I appreciate the professionalism and hard work of staff throughout the organization, especially those in the Business Services department, in the preparation of the WRDSB's 2026-27 budget. Trustees approved the budget, which meets provincial requirements and prioritizes investments in student learning and well-being," said Maedith Radlein, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
"The 2026-27 budget reflects the priorities outlined in the Board Improvement and Equity Plan and WRDSB's strategic investments in areas that directly support student achievement, particularly in areas of literacy and mathematics. This budget will ensure that students and staff have access to the resources they need to be successful and continue to review our resource allocations to ensure the long-term financial stability of the WRDSB," said Scott Miller, Chief Executive Officer.
WRDSB breaks down how funding is allocated from the Ministry of Education and helps parents, families, caregivers and community members better understand our expenses and sources of revenue.
Learn more about the WRDSB budget for 2026-27.
