Ottawa Catholic School Board to hire 58 new teachers as OCDSB looks to cut staff

A classroom is seen at Wazoson Public School of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) in Ottawa, on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Ottawa’s English-Catholic school board will need to hire dozens of new teachers next school year as the board prepares for an increase in enrolment, while the English public-school board in the capital will cut 83 teachers and 69 unionized non-teaching positions.

A report for the Ottawa Catholic School Board trustee meeting Tuesday night shows the OCDSB will need 36.5 new full-time equivalent (FTE) elementary teacher positions and 21.7 FTE new secondary school positions for the 2026-27 school year.

The Catholic school board is anticipating enrolment to increase by 1,433 students for the 2026-27 school year compared to the current school year.

Overall, the Catholic school board is anticipating an increase of 66.5 FTE positions across the board for the new school year, including new teachers, 1.5 FTE vice-principals for instruction time and 2.4 FTE positions for resource teachers in elementary schools

The report does show a reduction of eight early childhood educators for the day-school program, 4.3 fewer positions in Early On Centres and one less principal positions in both elementary and secondary levels. The report does not say why there will be a reduction in positions.

Staff are projecting 36,492 elementary school students this fall, up from 35,636 students during the 2025-26 school year and 34,600 elementary students during the 2024-25 school year. The Catholic board is projecting 17,296 students enrolled in secondary schools at the end of October, up from 16,719 students for the 2025-26 school year and 15,847 students during 2024-25.

There are a total of 5,805 FTE positions with the Ottawa Catholic School Board, including teachers, board administration and learning resources staff.

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is looking to cut more than 150 positions next school year as it sees declining enrolment and is dealing with a projected deficit budget.

A report shows the OCDSB plans to cut 83.29 full-time equivalent teacher positions next school year, with enrolment expected to drop by 766 elementary school students and 938 secondary school students.

“The number of teachers required for the coming school year is directly affected by projected student enrolment. Consequently, declining enrolment results in fewer teachers across the system,” staff said.

“This reduction is expected to be fully absorbed within normal attrition rates resulting from retirements, resignations and leaves.”

The board says the principal and vice-principal roles to be cut are central board office system positions.

Enrolment is the primary data that determines funding for school boards.

“The number of teachers required for the coming school year is directly affected by projected student enrolment. Consequently, declining enrolment results in fewer teachers across the system,” staff said.

“This reduction is expected to be fully absorbed within normal attrition rates resulting from retirements, resignations and leaves.”

Last week, the OCDSB told CTV News Ottawa it was cutting 69 unionized positions as of Aug. 31, 2026, as part of a plan to focus spending on students.

The Ontario Secondary School Teacher Federation (OSSF) says the board is planning to cut 97 positions, including some current vacant positions.

The OSSTF said 34 members of the Plant Support Staff were told their positions will be eliminated, while 48 full-time equivalent positions will be eliminated with “central staff,” which includes office, clerical and technical workers.

• Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App