According to the Fraser Institute, spending on public schools across Canada, increased from $63 billion in 2013/14 to $71.2 billion in 2017/18. That’s a 13% increase. In Saskatchewan, spending rose from $2.56 billion to $2.93 billion.
And don’t think that most of that money goes to tools, and equipment, and materials for children’s education. The institute says their results indicate that compensation remains the largest and costliest aspect of education spending, and has contributed the largest portion to the growth in total education spending in Canada. Compensation is salaries, wages, fringe benefits, and pensions.
Student enrollment in public schools increased by 2.2% nationally from 2013/14 to 2017/18. Alberta, at 9.5% and Saskatchewan at 6.2% saw the most significant increases in enrolment.
After accounting for enrolment and adjusting for inflation, per-student spending saw an increase of 3.8% nationally from 2013/14 to 2017/18. Per-student spending (inflation-adjusted) increased in eight out of ten provinces. Nova Scotia saw the largest increase (15.2%). In Saskatchewan, it rose 0.8 per cent.
Spending on compensation increased from $46.5 billion (2013/14) to $52.5 billion (2017/18). This is the equivalent of a 12.8% increase in compensation spending.
Saskatchewan also saw marked growth in contributions to teachers’ pensions during this time, at 31.8%.