News

  • Minister of Education Stephen Lecce and the Ford government have finally admitted that they have a teacher recruitment and retention problem. In an article published in the Toronto Star on February 21, the minister said to reporters that the province is looking at “every option available” to help ease the shortage of teachers in school…

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  • For Immediate Release – Sept. 5, 2025  TORONTO, ON – The following is a statement from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation  of Ontario (ETFO) President David Mastin responding to a rumour that the Ford  government is considering replacing Ontario’s 72 school boards with four:  “Collapsing Ontario’s 72 school boards into four isn’t just a bad idea,…

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  • For Immediate Release – August 13, 2025  TORONTO, ON – Over 700 delegates to the Annual Meeting of the Elementary Teachers’  Federation of Ontario (ETFO) elected their provincial Executive for 2025-27.  PRESIDENT: David Mastin, Durham Teacher Local  FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT: Shirley Bell, Kawartha Pine Ridge Teacher Local    VICE-PRESIDENTS:  Gundi Barbour, Upper Grand Teacher Local  Mary Fowler,…

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  • For Immediate Release – August 11, 2025  TORONTO, ON – In the spring, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario  (ETFO) surveyed its 84,000 members to gather input to determine the Federation’s next round of central bargaining priorities for both the Teacher/Occasional Teacher  Table and the Education Worker Table. Class size emerged as a unifying issue…

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  • For Immediate Release – May 23, 2025  TORONTO, ON – The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is pushing  back against the Ford government’s latest education funding announcement, saying the  promise of “record” investments doesn’t reflect the reality in Ontario’s public schools:  “Despite claims of record spending, educators across Ontario continue to see the cumulative…

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  • For Immediate Release – May 5, 2025  TORONTO, ON – The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is celebrating Education Week, May 5 to 9, by recognizing the dedication and professionalism of Ontario’s public elementary educators who continue to deliver high-quality learning experiences in the face of growing challenges.  “Every day, ETFO members bring compassion,…

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  • For Immediate Release – March 27, 2025  TORONTO, ON – The following is a statement from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation  of Ontario (ETFO) on the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) report Dreams  Delayed: Addressing Systemic Anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Ontario’s Public  Education System:  “ETFO welcomes the OHRC’s efforts over the last few years to…

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  • For Immediate Release – March 18, 2025  Toronto, ON – The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is calling out the  Ford government’s record of inaction and chronic neglect of special education as it releases a damning new report, Promises Unfulfilled: Addressing the Special Education Crisis in Ontario. The report exposes the dark history, broken…

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  • For Immediate Release: Friday, March 7, 2025  Court upholds ruling that strikes down provisions of Bill 307  TORONTO, ON — The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Ontario English  Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’  Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) have released the following statement, in response to today’s ruling from the Supreme Court…

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  • Joint Statement on Publicly Funded Education in Ontario February 19, 2025 A high quality publicly funded education system should be the priority of any government. It has  a direct correlation to how to succeed as a society, province and country, and how we compete  in an increasingly global economic environment. Publicly funded education is fundamental…

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  • For Immediate Release – January 31, 2025  Toronto, ON – As Black History Month begins, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of  Ontario (ETFO) celebrates the many achievements and lasting contributions of Black  Canadians. Black history is woven into the fabric of Canadian history—past, present,  and future. The accomplishments, strength, and excellence of Black individuals and communities…

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