RETSD BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES 2026–27 BUDGET

On March 11, 2026, the River East Transcona School Division Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $278.7 million budget for the 2026–27 school year. The revenue available for this year’s budget, including provincial funding, totals $140.4 million, which leaves a difference of $138.3 million that must be raised by increasing taxes to balance the budget.

The enhanced status quo budget passed by Trustees maintains the level of programs, programming, and services for students and staff based on a small, estimated increase in student enrolment for the 2026–27 school year. This budget includes increases for collectively bargained salaries, insurance costs, utilities, and statutory benefits. In addition, the budget will provide funding for improved safety measures related to school access, upgrades to cyber security, additional school-based student services personnel, increased clinical supports, and unfunded items for the new school being built in the Devonshire area.

“Our community has entrusted us with delivering excellent public education while balancing the financial constraints on our taxpayers. The provincial funding did not cover even the basic expenditure increases such as utilities, insurance, and salaries,” said Trustee Colleen Carswell, Board Chair. “At one time, the government funded public education at 64 per cent; it has now dropped to 50 per cent.”

For 2026, RETSD has the lowest special levy increase for the six city school divisions and the second lowest increase to the average homeowner. The recently approved budget will result in a property tax increase of $54.01, or $4.50 a month, on the average home in our community assessed at $361,700; the mill rate will increase approximately 7.3 per cent in the City of Winnipeg. This amount includes the Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit announced by the province last year. This credit is applied directly to the property tax statement and only applies to a taxpayer’s principal residence. The credit has increased from $1,500 to $1,600 for 2026.

“The persistent lack of political will to make changes to the inequitable funding formula, which has been demonstrated to disadvantage RETSD, is why we find ourselves continually turning to the taxpayer to make up the shortfall,” said Trustee Brianne Goertzen, Chair of Finance, Facilities, Transportation, and Technology Committee.