The Holy Trinity Catholic School Division is estimating that it will be a 6.5 per cent funding increase, or $1.7 million, with the provincial budget announcement this week. 

The government announced $12.8 million for minor capital renewal projects. This includes continued funding for the renovation and expansion of Ecole St. Margaret. 

The Ecole St. Margaret project is expected to cost the school division $6.7 million and is set to be completed in June of 2025. 

Holy Trinity Catholic School Division was hoping to get approval for a renewal project at St. Michael School. With schools closing to make way for Our Lady of Hope joint-use school, he said students can be shifted to one of those schools while renovations take place in future years. 

The government announced $35 million for enrolment growth. Holy Trinity had an enrolment increase of over four per cent last September and is expecting an enrolment increase of two per cent next fall. 

“It’s nice we have increased enrolment that the government does provide that support. It’s nice looking at developing our budget and we will be doing an update with our board at our April 8 board meeting where we’ll go through line-by-line in terms of where we’re at and start to put things together for our budget to be finally announced in June,” said Director of Education Ward Strueby. 

The government earmarked $165.9 million to support ongoing projects including the South Hill joint use school. 

“With respect to the financial commitment from the government, once again we are very appreciative that we’ll be able to have a brand-new facility in partnership with the Prairie South School Division,” said Holy Trinity Catholic School Division Chief Financial Officer Curt Van Parys. 

Van Parys and Strueby also highlighted $13.7 million that was announced for non-teacher contract settlements. 

“Traditionally, teacher contracts were covered, but our other support staff, like CUPE members or bus drivers or non-unionized staff, there wasn’t increases in the budget for those roles,” Strueby said. 

“We really had to eat that along with inflation, which makes some very tough decisions when that happens year after year.” 

The government announced $7 million for targeted funding for Educational Assistants and $8.6 million for classroom supports. 

“It’s nice to see that we will be able to offer some additional supports moving into next year’s budget, so that’s good news. After a number of years where it's been death by a thousand cuts, it’s welcome news to help support class size and complexity,” Strueby said. 

There is also $66.6 million for a Saskatchewan Teachers Federation contract settlement based on a three-year settlement of three per cent, two per cent and two per cent.