$6.35 billion in underfunding. 8 boards under provincial supervision. New property rules that changed who controls school land. This investigation documents what is known, what is contested, and what remains unanswered.
Max Simao was 7 years old. Public reporting says he was autistic, non-speaking, and on a reduced school schedule after support became unavailable. He was killed December 11, 2025, after being struck by a Hamilton city bus. His family's case became a rallying point in Ontario's debate over exclusions and unmet special education needs.
We are not asserting legal causation. We are documenting the family's account, the public record, and the policy questions it raises.
SOURCE: OAC release, Jan 21, 2026; CityNews Ottawa; Chris Simao statements at Queen's Park
One anchor number dominates. Supporting evidence carries context and source attribution.
CCPA, June 2025. Measured against inflation-adjusted levels.
Ontario Ministry / public reporting, Mar 5, 2026.
FAO, December 2024. To bring existing schools to good repair.
CCPA, June 2025. 2025-26 vs. 2018-19 in real terms.
OAC survey data for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
People for Education annual survey. Elementary / secondary.
Each section separates documented fact from contested interpretation and open questions.
How staffing shortages and modified schedules affect autistic children in Ontario classrooms.
$6.35 billion in underfunding. Every independent authority agrees. The data, traced.
8 boards under supervision. What it does, what the province says, and what critics say.
How O. Reg. 374/23 changed school board property rules. Old vs. new, side by side.
Your child's legal rights. What the board can't do. Practical tools for families.
Document. File. Write. Connect. An evidence-building toolkit for families.
This is where the investigation proves discipline. Every major claim is categorized by evidence status.
This investigation distinguishes between three levels of evidence. Documented claims are supported by government records, legislation, independent analyses, or public reporting from credible outlets. Disputed claims involve interpretive disagreements — for example, whether board deficits are caused by mismanagement or by chronic provincial underfunding. Unanswered questions identify information that is not publicly available but is necessary to assess the situation fully.
This framework is central to the page's credibility. We do not treat contested claims as facts, and we do not present open questions as settled. Where we offer analysis or opinion, we label it explicitly. Sources are cited at the point of each claim, and the methodology footer explains our editorial standards, including reference to the Grant v. Torstar Corp. (2009 SCC 61) responsible communication defence.
The education crisis did not arrive overnight. It followed a documented sequence: real per-student funding fell behind inflation, boards absorbed shortfalls by overspending on special education, deficits accumulated, the province intervened with supervision orders that displaced elected trustees, new property disposition rules shifted control to the Minister, and public concern about transparency and democratic accountability grew.
Each stage is independently documented. The connections between stages are supported by the sequence of events and by analysis from independent bodies (CCPA, FAO, OPSBA). We present the chain as a factual sequence, not as proven intent. Whether the outcome was planned or emergent is one of the unanswered questions this investigation identifies.
Each stage is a documented step in the logic chain, from underfunding through governance changes to property disposition.
Per-student funding is $260 less in real terms than 2018-19. Cumulative gap: $6.35B.
CCPA, June 2025
OPSBA says English public boards spend significantly more on special education than they receive.
OPSBA, June 2025
Growing boards face deficits. The province frames this as governance failures.
Ministry of Education; FAO
Provincial supervisors assume board governance powers. Elected trustees lose operational control.
Education Act; Bill 33 (2025)
O. Reg. 374/23 increased ministerial involvement earlier in the property disposition process.
O. Reg. 374/23; BLG Mar 2024
Public concern about local control, land decisions, and democratic accountability intensifies.
The Local; Globe and Mail; CBC
Multiple independent analyses identify a gap between what the funding formula provides and what boards need.
The CCPA calculates a cumulative funding gap of $6.35 billion since 2018-19. For 2025-26, this translates to $260 less per student in real terms. OPSBA puts the gap at $404 per pupil ($693 million). The FAO found per-student funding at $14,504 — the lowest level in a decade.
SOURCE: CCPA, June 2025; OPSBA, June 2025; FAO Spending Plan Review, Oct 2025
OPSBA has publicly stated that its 31 English public member boards spent $582.7 million more on special education in 2024-25 than the amount funded by the province.
SOURCE: OPSBA, June 2025 ($582.7M)
The FAO found 15 of 72 boards in annual deficit in 2021-22. By 2024-25, Ministry FOI documents indicated approximately 32 boards. By 2025-26, CBC analysis suggested nearly two-thirds of boards were either in deficit or barely breaking even.
SOURCE: FAO 2023; The Local, Mar 2026 (Ministry FOI); CBC EFIS analysis, 2025
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
$6.35 billion cumulative shortfall since 2018
Financial Accountability Office
Per-student funding at lowest level in a decade
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association
$582.7M special education overspend by 31 boards
People for Education
Documented staffing shortages and impacts on students
Prof. Sachin Maharaj, U of Ottawa
“This isn’t an issue of financial mismanagement” (quoted in The Local)
Eight Ontario school boards are under provincial supervision as of March 5, 2026.
SOURCE: Education Act; Bill 33, 2025
SOURCE: Minister Calandra public statements
SOURCE: CBC, Feb 2026; Global News; Globe and Mail; Hansard
Toronto DSB
~238,000 students
Province launched financial investigation into board finances. Provincial supervisor appointed.
Toronto Catholic DSB
~84,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed. Catholic board — denominational rights questions raised.
Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB
~80,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed. Catholic board — denominational rights questions raised.
Peel DSB
~155,000 students
Under supervision. Board chair described takeover as “smokescreen” for underfunding (Global News).
Ottawa-Carleton DSB
~75,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed. 5th consecutive deficit. Restructuring spec ed staffing.
Thames Valley DSB
~82,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed April 2025. One of OHRC Right to Read inquiry boards.
Selected list for illustration. Additional boards may be under supervision or investigation.
Interactive map, individual board profiles, Bill 33 timeline, and more.
In December 2023, Ontario replaced the regulation governing how school boards dispose of property.
| Issue | O. Reg. 444/98 (Old) | O. Reg. 374/23 (New) |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets first look | Other school boards, then public entities (incl. municipalities), then open market | Other boards, then Minister-identified “provincial priority” bodies; municipalities removed from priority list |
| When Minister gets involved | After board-driven process largely concluded | Earlier in the process; Minister has oversight from initial stages |
| Local board discretion | Board-driven determination on surplus property | The Minister has earlier and broader involvement in identifying provincial-priority purchasers |
| Mandatory disposition | Not explicitly required in all cases | Creates mandatory disposition process for property not used for school purposes and not expected to be needed within 10 years |
| Provincial priority mechanism | No specific mechanism | Minister can identify “persons or bodies who require the property to achieve provincial priorities” |
| Speed of process | Prescribed timelines with public consultation steps | Expedited disposition available in certain circumstances |
SOURCE: O. Reg. 444/98 (repealed); O. Reg. 374/23; BLG analysis, Mar 2024; Miller Thomson analysis, 2024
The TDSB owns 600+ properties across ~5,000 acres. Portfolio estimated at $15–20 billion. Under O. Reg. 193/10, proceeds from sales cannot be used for operating costs.
SOURCE: CBC, Apr 2024; The Local, Sept 2025; O. Reg. 193/10; FAO, Dec 2024
After supervision, TLC reportedly stopped publishing news updates, meeting minutes, and board materials. The CEO directed all inquiries to the Ministry, which did not respond to media.
SOURCE: The Local, Sept 2025; TorontoToday, Nov 2025
Critics and opposition MPPs have drawn structural parallels to the Greenbelt scandal. The parallels are structural, not proven. Whether a similar dynamic is at play with school board land has not been established.
SOURCE: AG Greenbelt report, 2023; Hansard; The Trillium
The school board has legal obligations. Here is what the law says and practical steps when it is not being followed.
OHRC accommodation principles indicate that reducing a student's access to education because supports are unavailable — rather than because of an individualized educational rationale — raises serious concerns under the Human Rights Code. The Code has primacy over the Education Act. Budget constraints rarely meet the threshold for “undue hardship.”
Every child aged 6–17 has the right to attend school. Boards must provide special education programs and services for exceptional pupils. This obligation is not discretionary.
Disability discrimination is prohibited. Schools must accommodate to the point of undue hardship — a very high threshold. The burden of proof is on the board.
A modified or reduced schedule may raise serious legal concerns, especially where it is not individualized, not properly documented, or imposed because supports are unavailable.
You have the right to request an IPRC in writing. The board must respond. No pupil is to be denied an education program pending a meeting or decision.
An IEP must be developed for identified students and must clearly identify accommodations, services, and responsibilities.
You can file a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Limitation period: one year from last incident. Free help: Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Centre, 1‑866‑625‑5179.
Disclaimer: This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice specific to your circumstances, contact: Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Centre (free, 1‑866‑625‑5179), ARCH Disability Law Centre, or a lawyer specializing in education law.
The system responds to documented evidence and organized pressure. Here is how to build both.
Correspondence
Official Records
Supporting Evidence
Document Everything
Keep a dated log of every time your child is sent home, hours are reduced, an EA is missing, or an IEP accommodation is not followed. Save every email.
Request IPRC in Writing
Send a dated letter to your principal requesting an IPRC. Keep your copy. Under O. Reg. 181/98, no pupil should be denied an education program pending a decision.
File an HRTO Complaint
If your child is being discriminated against on the basis of disability, the HRTO is available. Free help: 1‑866‑625‑5179. One-year limitation period.
Write Your MPP
Use our MPP letter tool to send a citation-backed letter demanding the funding formula be fixed and special education fully funded.
FOI Your Board
File a Municipal Freedom of Information request ($5) asking for: spec ed budget vs. actual, EA staffing by school, surplus property records, SEAC minutes.
Connect and Organize
Join your board’s SEAC meetings (public). Connect with OAC, Autism Ontario, Community Living Ontario, People for Education.
A note on recording conversations: Canadian criminal law generally prohibits intercepting private communications, but there is an exception where one participant consents. Workplace policies, privacy considerations, and evidentiary rules can affect whether recordings can be used. Seek legal advice before relying on recordings.
If your child with a disability has experienced reduced access to education — modified schedules, lost EA support, informal exclusions — documented cases strengthen the public record and support advocacy for systemic change.
Share Your ExperiencePublished in the public interest under principles of responsible communication on matters of public interest (Grant v. Torstar Corp., 2009 SCC 61) and fair comment on matters of public concern. All assertions of fact are attributed to identified sources. This is not legal advice.
Your Experience Matters
If your child with a disability has experienced reduced access to education, we want to hear from you. Documented cases strengthen the public record and support advocacy for systemic change.
Verified Facts
Under the Ontario Education Act, every student with special needs is entitled to an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and access to an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)
88,175 — children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
1 in 50 — According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
23.4% — Only 20,666 children have active funding agreements () — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
Stay Updated
Join 2,400+ Ontario families. We email only when something notable happens — new FOI data, policy changes, or important next steps.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Your privacy is protected.
$6.35 billion in underfunding. 8 boards under provincial supervision. New property rules that changed who controls school land. This investigation documents what is known, what is contested, and what remains unanswered.
Max Simao was 7 years old. Public reporting says he was autistic, non-speaking, and on a reduced school schedule after support became unavailable. He was killed December 11, 2025, after being struck by a Hamilton city bus. His family's case became a rallying point in Ontario's debate over exclusions and unmet special education needs.
We are not asserting legal causation. We are documenting the family's account, the public record, and the policy questions it raises.
SOURCE: OAC release, Jan 21, 2026; CityNews Ottawa; Chris Simao statements at Queen's Park
One anchor number dominates. Supporting evidence carries context and source attribution.
CCPA, June 2025. Measured against inflation-adjusted levels.
Ontario Ministry / public reporting, Mar 5, 2026.
FAO, December 2024. To bring existing schools to good repair.
CCPA, June 2025. 2025-26 vs. 2018-19 in real terms.
OAC survey data for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
People for Education annual survey. Elementary / secondary.
Each section separates documented fact from contested interpretation and open questions.
How staffing shortages and modified schedules affect autistic children in Ontario classrooms.
$6.35 billion in underfunding. Every independent authority agrees. The data, traced.
8 boards under supervision. What it does, what the province says, and what critics say.
How O. Reg. 374/23 changed school board property rules. Old vs. new, side by side.
Your child's legal rights. What the board can't do. Practical tools for families.
Document. File. Write. Connect. An evidence-building toolkit for families.
This is where the investigation proves discipline. Every major claim is categorized by evidence status.
This investigation distinguishes between three levels of evidence. Documented claims are supported by government records, legislation, independent analyses, or public reporting from credible outlets. Disputed claims involve interpretive disagreements — for example, whether board deficits are caused by mismanagement or by chronic provincial underfunding. Unanswered questions identify information that is not publicly available but is necessary to assess the situation fully.
This framework is central to the page's credibility. We do not treat contested claims as facts, and we do not present open questions as settled. Where we offer analysis or opinion, we label it explicitly. Sources are cited at the point of each claim, and the methodology footer explains our editorial standards, including reference to the Grant v. Torstar Corp. (2009 SCC 61) responsible communication defence.
The education crisis did not arrive overnight. It followed a documented sequence: real per-student funding fell behind inflation, boards absorbed shortfalls by overspending on special education, deficits accumulated, the province intervened with supervision orders that displaced elected trustees, new property disposition rules shifted control to the Minister, and public concern about transparency and democratic accountability grew.
Each stage is independently documented. The connections between stages are supported by the sequence of events and by analysis from independent bodies (CCPA, FAO, OPSBA). We present the chain as a factual sequence, not as proven intent. Whether the outcome was planned or emergent is one of the unanswered questions this investigation identifies.
Each stage is a documented step in the logic chain, from underfunding through governance changes to property disposition.
Per-student funding is $260 less in real terms than 2018-19. Cumulative gap: $6.35B.
CCPA, June 2025
OPSBA says English public boards spend significantly more on special education than they receive.
OPSBA, June 2025
Growing boards face deficits. The province frames this as governance failures.
Ministry of Education; FAO
Provincial supervisors assume board governance powers. Elected trustees lose operational control.
Education Act; Bill 33 (2025)
O. Reg. 374/23 increased ministerial involvement earlier in the property disposition process.
O. Reg. 374/23; BLG Mar 2024
Public concern about local control, land decisions, and democratic accountability intensifies.
The Local; Globe and Mail; CBC
Multiple independent analyses identify a gap between what the funding formula provides and what boards need.
The CCPA calculates a cumulative funding gap of $6.35 billion since 2018-19. For 2025-26, this translates to $260 less per student in real terms. OPSBA puts the gap at $404 per pupil ($693 million). The FAO found per-student funding at $14,504 — the lowest level in a decade.
SOURCE: CCPA, June 2025; OPSBA, June 2025; FAO Spending Plan Review, Oct 2025
OPSBA has publicly stated that its 31 English public member boards spent $582.7 million more on special education in 2024-25 than the amount funded by the province.
SOURCE: OPSBA, June 2025 ($582.7M)
The FAO found 15 of 72 boards in annual deficit in 2021-22. By 2024-25, Ministry FOI documents indicated approximately 32 boards. By 2025-26, CBC analysis suggested nearly two-thirds of boards were either in deficit or barely breaking even.
SOURCE: FAO 2023; The Local, Mar 2026 (Ministry FOI); CBC EFIS analysis, 2025
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
$6.35 billion cumulative shortfall since 2018
Financial Accountability Office
Per-student funding at lowest level in a decade
Ontario Public School Boards’ Association
$582.7M special education overspend by 31 boards
People for Education
Documented staffing shortages and impacts on students
Prof. Sachin Maharaj, U of Ottawa
“This isn’t an issue of financial mismanagement” (quoted in The Local)
Eight Ontario school boards are under provincial supervision as of March 5, 2026.
SOURCE: Education Act; Bill 33, 2025
SOURCE: Minister Calandra public statements
SOURCE: CBC, Feb 2026; Global News; Globe and Mail; Hansard
Toronto DSB
~238,000 students
Province launched financial investigation into board finances. Provincial supervisor appointed.
Toronto Catholic DSB
~84,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed. Catholic board — denominational rights questions raised.
Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB
~80,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed. Catholic board — denominational rights questions raised.
Peel DSB
~155,000 students
Under supervision. Board chair described takeover as “smokescreen” for underfunding (Global News).
Ottawa-Carleton DSB
~75,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed. 5th consecutive deficit. Restructuring spec ed staffing.
Thames Valley DSB
~82,000 students
Provincial supervisor appointed April 2025. One of OHRC Right to Read inquiry boards.
Selected list for illustration. Additional boards may be under supervision or investigation.
Interactive map, individual board profiles, Bill 33 timeline, and more.
In December 2023, Ontario replaced the regulation governing how school boards dispose of property.
| Issue | O. Reg. 444/98 (Old) | O. Reg. 374/23 (New) |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets first look | Other school boards, then public entities (incl. municipalities), then open market | Other boards, then Minister-identified “provincial priority” bodies; municipalities removed from priority list |
| When Minister gets involved | After board-driven process largely concluded | Earlier in the process; Minister has oversight from initial stages |
| Local board discretion | Board-driven determination on surplus property | The Minister has earlier and broader involvement in identifying provincial-priority purchasers |
| Mandatory disposition | Not explicitly required in all cases | Creates mandatory disposition process for property not used for school purposes and not expected to be needed within 10 years |
| Provincial priority mechanism | No specific mechanism | Minister can identify “persons or bodies who require the property to achieve provincial priorities” |
| Speed of process | Prescribed timelines with public consultation steps | Expedited disposition available in certain circumstances |
SOURCE: O. Reg. 444/98 (repealed); O. Reg. 374/23; BLG analysis, Mar 2024; Miller Thomson analysis, 2024
The TDSB owns 600+ properties across ~5,000 acres. Portfolio estimated at $15–20 billion. Under O. Reg. 193/10, proceeds from sales cannot be used for operating costs.
SOURCE: CBC, Apr 2024; The Local, Sept 2025; O. Reg. 193/10; FAO, Dec 2024
After supervision, TLC reportedly stopped publishing news updates, meeting minutes, and board materials. The CEO directed all inquiries to the Ministry, which did not respond to media.
SOURCE: The Local, Sept 2025; TorontoToday, Nov 2025
Critics and opposition MPPs have drawn structural parallels to the Greenbelt scandal. The parallels are structural, not proven. Whether a similar dynamic is at play with school board land has not been established.
SOURCE: AG Greenbelt report, 2023; Hansard; The Trillium
The school board has legal obligations. Here is what the law says and practical steps when it is not being followed.
OHRC accommodation principles indicate that reducing a student's access to education because supports are unavailable — rather than because of an individualized educational rationale — raises serious concerns under the Human Rights Code. The Code has primacy over the Education Act. Budget constraints rarely meet the threshold for “undue hardship.”
Every child aged 6–17 has the right to attend school. Boards must provide special education programs and services for exceptional pupils. This obligation is not discretionary.
Disability discrimination is prohibited. Schools must accommodate to the point of undue hardship — a very high threshold. The burden of proof is on the board.
A modified or reduced schedule may raise serious legal concerns, especially where it is not individualized, not properly documented, or imposed because supports are unavailable.
You have the right to request an IPRC in writing. The board must respond. No pupil is to be denied an education program pending a meeting or decision.
An IEP must be developed for identified students and must clearly identify accommodations, services, and responsibilities.
You can file a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Limitation period: one year from last incident. Free help: Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Centre, 1‑866‑625‑5179.
Disclaimer: This is general legal information, not legal advice. For advice specific to your circumstances, contact: Ontario Human Rights Legal Support Centre (free, 1‑866‑625‑5179), ARCH Disability Law Centre, or a lawyer specializing in education law.
The system responds to documented evidence and organized pressure. Here is how to build both.
Correspondence
Official Records
Supporting Evidence
Document Everything
Keep a dated log of every time your child is sent home, hours are reduced, an EA is missing, or an IEP accommodation is not followed. Save every email.
Request IPRC in Writing
Send a dated letter to your principal requesting an IPRC. Keep your copy. Under O. Reg. 181/98, no pupil should be denied an education program pending a decision.
File an HRTO Complaint
If your child is being discriminated against on the basis of disability, the HRTO is available. Free help: 1‑866‑625‑5179. One-year limitation period.
Write Your MPP
Use our MPP letter tool to send a citation-backed letter demanding the funding formula be fixed and special education fully funded.
FOI Your Board
File a Municipal Freedom of Information request ($5) asking for: spec ed budget vs. actual, EA staffing by school, surplus property records, SEAC minutes.
Connect and Organize
Join your board’s SEAC meetings (public). Connect with OAC, Autism Ontario, Community Living Ontario, People for Education.
A note on recording conversations: Canadian criminal law generally prohibits intercepting private communications, but there is an exception where one participant consents. Workplace policies, privacy considerations, and evidentiary rules can affect whether recordings can be used. Seek legal advice before relying on recordings.
If your child with a disability has experienced reduced access to education — modified schedules, lost EA support, informal exclusions — documented cases strengthen the public record and support advocacy for systemic change.
Share Your ExperiencePublished in the public interest under principles of responsible communication on matters of public interest (Grant v. Torstar Corp., 2009 SCC 61) and fair comment on matters of public concern. All assertions of fact are attributed to identified sources. This is not legal advice.
Your Experience Matters
If your child with a disability has experienced reduced access to education, we want to hear from you. Documented cases strengthen the public record and support advocacy for systemic change.
Verified Facts
Under the Ontario Education Act, every student with special needs is entitled to an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and access to an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC)
88,175 — children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
1 in 50 — According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
23.4% — Only 20,666 children have active funding agreements () — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement
Stay Updated
Join 2,400+ Ontario families. We email only when something notable happens — new FOI data, policy changes, or important next steps.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Your privacy is protected.