The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) Board of Trustees has approved a balanced operating budget through the proposed partial use of reserves. The 2021-2022 CCSD draft budget was approved by the Board of Trustees today, Wednesday, May 26, at a virtual board meeting.
"We appreciate the stakeholder feedback that has helped shape our final submission. Consultation with parents, staff and communities about budget priorities helps inform the Board and assists us in our final decisions. As always, prioritizing student learning, resources and supports in the classroom is at the forefront of our decision-making," says Mary Martin, Chair of the CCSD Board of Trustees. "That said, our Board is concerned that the realities of the pandemic; specifically the need to support both the safety and mental well-being of our students and staff, will need to be adequately resourced. We also recognize that submitting a funded deficit budget is unsustainable over time."
The district is budgeting $602.3 million in revenues and $612.7 million in expenditures for the fiscal year September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022. The result is a $10.4 million operating gap, which will be balanced through capital transactions and a proposed transfer from reserves. Additional points regarding the 2021-2022 CCSD budget include:
- The operating gap of $10.4 million, after adjusting for capital transactions, results in a $8 million proposed drawdown from reserves, which is subject to ministerial approval.
- The operating gap arises from the incurrence of costs for mitigation measures and responsiveness to COVID related outcomes, an increase in insurance costs and the impact of inflationary pressures on the overall spend.
- The budgeted reserves for August 2022 are $17.6 million, representing 2.9 per cent of annual spend, which establishes a reasonable level to sustain the size of the district's operations.
"We were able to provide a balanced budget despite these challenging economic times," said Chief Superintendent, Dr. Bryan Szumlas. "By reducing central office supports, reducing unfunded program offerings, realigning transportation with provincial expectations and by sadly closing schools, we can continue to provide high quality, faith-based Catholic education to our students." The approved budget will be submitted to the education ministry by the May 31 deadline.
