CTF/FCE Pre-Budget Submission – October 2024
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE) is a federal organization comprised of 18 Member and Associate Organizations that represent over 365,000 public school teachers in Canada from every province and territory. As a federation of teacher organizations, the CTF/FCE promotes and supports quality inclusive publicly funded public education, in all its forms. We uphold teaching as a profession and advocate for adequate resourcing, labour rights, and social justice, across Canada and around the world.
Revolutionary Support for Mental Health Services
Mental health remains a significant concern for members of the CTF/FCE Member and Associate Organizations and contributes to the retention and recruitment crisis facing public education workers. It is an ongoing issue impacting the well-being of teachers, education workers, students, and their families and the working conditions within the education sector.
Mental health concerns are pervasive throughout Canada. Various issues, among which are the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to a myriad of mental health problems and crisis levels of homelessness and addiction problems.
The Government of Canada demonstrated their intent to critically address Mental Health and Addictions problems through the advent of a Minister of Mental Health and Addictions but there needs to be a serious and concerted effort to fund transformative mental healthcare in Canada.
Therefore, we are asking the federal government to commit to dedicated funding for mental health services under the Canada Mental Health Transfer, with an initial investment of $4.5 billion over 5 years.
Continuing support for the National School Food Program
In Budget 2024, the federal government signaled their commitment to transformative change for Canadian families through the introduction of the National School Food Program.
Over the past year, Canada has tabled the National School Food Policy and begun signing agreements with provinces and territories to provide healthy food to K-12 children across the country. The CTF/FCE welcomes these important steps. We are thankful for the work the federal government has done to date on this important initiative and we need to see this support continue.
As agreements are signed with the provinces and territories and school food programs take shape, continued, targeted, sustainable long-term funding is paramount to the success and longevity of this program that will improve the lives of Canadian families.
Therefore, we are asking the federal government to follow through on their commitments in Budget 2024 to spend $201 million in 2025-2026, $218 million in 2026-2027, $241 million in 2027-2028 and $261 million in 2028-2029.
Increasing Language Supports for Newcomers to Canada
Over the past few years, Canada has seen significant growth in immigration, and the CTF/FCE welcomes the federal government’s commitments to bringing more individuals and families to Canada. At the same time, we recognize the need for increased support in all areas to ensure that everyone who calls Canada home, both old and new residents, experiences a high quality of services and life. To keep up with the current influx of newcomers to Canada, significant investments are required to support K-12 students who have recently arrived and are now residing in Canada.
Across the country, we are seeing increased concerns regarding support for newcomers especially in relation to official language instruction. The CTF/FCE is calling on the federal government to increase supports to their provincial and territorial counterparts regarding official language instruction. As a proudly bilingual organization, the CTF/FCE recognizes the importance of fostering the growth and protection of both of Canada’s official languages.
Therefore, we are asking the federal government for dedicated funding to support English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) or French-as-an-additional-language (FAL) programs to support students new to Canada, in proportion to the number of immigrants eligible for EAL or FAL. We are also seeking dedicated programming for immigrant and refugee students.
Support for Casual Teachers and Education Workers Who Travel To Their Place of Work
There is a recruitment and retention crisis in Canadian education systems. From coast to coast to coast, we are seeing fewer enrollments in Bachelor of Education programs. Nearly half of those graduating from a Bachelor of Education program seek employment outside of teaching. We are also seeing greater numbers of long-time teachers leaving the profession prematurely, and many teachers who are just starting their careers leaving the profession because of increasing workloads and both diminishing financial remuneration and reduced social appreciation.
While the salaries and benefits of teachers and education workers change through negotiation at the provincial and territorial level, the federal government can continue to support teachers and education workers in alternative ways. One avenue is through federal tax deductions targeting at alleviating costs for teachers and educators.
By subsidizing the costs of teachers and educators who are required to travel long-distances to their place of work, the federal government can alleviate the cost-of-living constraints for teachers and education workers and help address the recruitment and retention crisis, which is more prevalent in remote and rural areas where these professionals often have to travel significant distances.
Therefore, we are asking the federal government to enable public education workers at all levels of education, from Kindergarten to Post-Secondary Education, who work on a casual daily basis and are not reimbursed for travel expenses, to deduct these costs from their annual taxes.
About the CTF/FCE
Founded in 1920, the CTF/FCE is a national alliance of provincial and territorial teachers’ organizations that represent over 365,000 teachers and education workers across Canada. The CTF/FCE is also an affiliate of Education International, which represents more than 32-million educators.
Media Contact
Nika Quintao, Director of Public Affairs
Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF/FCE)
[email protected]
Mobile: 613-688-4319
