Per student funding in Ontario schools falls to its lowest levels in 10 years

EconomicsEducation
Written By FWD EDITORS

Released: Friday, January 2, 2026

We’re back with another chart of the week. We are kicking off 2026 with a look at education funding trends in Ontario.

Between 1990–91 and 2023–24, Ontario’s education funding increased at an average annual rate of 3.1 per cent. However, growth has slowed in recent years. Funding per student at school boards fell to $14,504 in 2024–25, marking its lowest level in a decade. According to the Financial Accountability Office (FAO), provincial operating funding per student is projected to rise modestly to $14,521 in 2025–26 and $14,685 in 2026–27, before declining to $14,111 in 2027–28.

Actual spending per student at school boards—which reflects expenditures financed by provincial transfers and other revenue sources—reached $14,997. In a national context, Ontario ranked in the bottom half of provinces for per-student education spending in 2022–23, with an average of $15,012.

 

Chart of the Week

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FWD EDITORS

We’re a team of data enthusiasts and storytellers. Our goal is to share stories we find interesting in hopes of inspiring others to incorporate data and data visualizations in the stories they create.

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Number of active businesses in Canada edges up 0.2 percent in September