Backgrounder

Declining Enrolment In Ontario

May 30, 2008

Most provinces in Canada are experiencing a decline in the number of school-aged children. Many Ontario boards have been actively responding to changing demographics, and the McGuinty government has introduced a variety of measures to help boards provide high quality education programs.

Declining Enrolment Working Group

A working group is being established to advise to the government and school boards on how effective these efforts are and how best to deal with declining enrolment.

Lead by two co-chairs, the Declining Enrolment Working Group (DEWG) includes the following members:

Dave Levac, Co-Chair
MPP Brant and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

Eleanor Newman, Co-Chair
Director of Education, Renfrew County District School Board

Gerri Gershon
Trustee, Toronto District School Board and former president, Ontario Public School Boards' Association and the Canadian School Boards Association

Brian Greene
Senior Business Official, Thames Valley District School Board

Kathy O'Brien
Trustee, Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

Michel Paulin
Senior Business Official, Conseil scolaire de district catholique Franco-Nord

Barry Peterson
Senior Business Official, District School Board Ontario North East

Doug Reycraft
President, Association of Municipalities of Ontario and Mayor, Southwest Middlesex

Michael Schmitt
Director of Education, Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board

See also:

• News Release: Experts To Examine Impact Of Fewer Students