Highlights from the April 9 UCDSB Board of Trustees Meeting

Brockville – Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Apr. 9, 2025. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

2024-25 Financial Forecast 3 and 2025-26 Preliminary Budget Outlook

The third Financial Forecast of the school year was presented by UCDSB Chief Business Officer Jeremy Hobbs. The report projects revenues of $460.8M and expenses of $461.3M for compliance purposes, resulting in a forecasted in-year deficit of $0.5M, a decrease of $1.3M from the $0.8M surplus projected in Financial Forecast 2 presented on February 26, 2025.

Hobbs explained that the most significant change since Financial Forecast 2 is related to incremental expenses incurred in response to the January 2025 cyber incident, which resulted in significant investment in remediation and ongoing enhancement of security measures. Administrative leaders will be examining planned expenditures for 2024-25 to ensure that there is no further growth in the projected deficit, ensuring that any restraint measures do not impact the classroom.

Hobbs noted that the projected deficit remains well within the Board’s available compliance thresholds and does not pose a risk to financial sustainability. Definitive financial results for 2024-25 will be presented in November 2025.

Looking ahead at the 2025-26 Preliminary Budget Outlook, Hobbs touched on factors that may influence the fiscal environment for 2025 in the province, as well as various potential and anticipated changes in revenue and expenses. He advised the Board that staff are expecting Core Education Funding and overall expenses to be largely stable through the next school year, and that staff will continue to update the Board as funding information becomes available. A proposed 2025-26 budget is expected in June 2025.

All-In Sports

UCDSB Superintendent of Schools Casey Nelson presented an update on the All-In Sports initiative to the Board of Trustees. All-In Sports is a district-wide program aimed at expanding K-8 sports participation, increasing competitive opportunities, and reducing financial barriers for families. This initiative aligns with the board’s commitment to enhancing physical literacy and ensuring equitable access to sports for all students.

The All-In Sports approach is structured around five key areas:

• Daily Physical Activity & Quality Daily Physical Education – Emphasizing the importance of daily movement and developmentally appropriate physical education to support student well-being.
• Recess Programs & Intramurals – Increasing structured physical activity during recess and lunch to provide both competitive and non-competitive opportunities.
• Parasports – Integrating adaptive sports within physical education programs and school events to promote inclusivity and awareness.
• Competitive Sports – Expanding access to competitive play while reducing travel and removing financial costs for families.
• Facility Upgrades – Investing in improvements to sports infrastructure across the district to ensure equitable access to quality facilities.

Superintendent Nelson emphasized that the All-In Sports model is designed to align curricular and extracurricular programming, creating more opportunities for students to engage in physical activity. The initiative prioritizes the development of physical literacy and lifelong participation in sport, reinforcing the board’s commitment to student health and well-being.

Read more about the UCDSB’s $12.2M investment in All-In Sports & sports infrastructure here: https://www.ucdsb.on.ca/u_c_d_s_b_news/what_s_new/investment_sports

Full details on presentations, reports, and discussions can be found in the agenda or reviewed in the recorded broadcast.