Northern Manitoba school division 'aggressively' searching for teachers amid shortage

The head of Manitoba's northernmost school division says it's facing its worst staffing shortage in years — so much so that the division is pulling out all the stops to attract teachers. 

The Frontier School Division, which has 42 schools in remote areas of northern Manitoba, hired a full-time recruiter who travels the country, launched an ad campaign, and is offering a $5,000 signing bonus to new teachers in an attempt to curb its brutal staffing shortage.

"We have been aggressively searching for teachers last spring through the summer. Last January, we know already that it was going to be bad," said chief superintendent Reg Klassen.

He says they are looking for 39 support staff and 24 teachers, which on the surface may not sound like many, but is crushing for the division.

"If we wanted to put that into a context that maybe was a little easier for southern Manitobans to understand, if Winnipeg School Division was looking for the same amount per capita, they would be looking for 106," he said in an interview on CBC Manitoba's Information Radio on Wednesday.

LISTEN | Reg Klassen talks about the teacher shortage in northern Manitoba:

Klassen says it's especially tough to get teachers with sought-after specializations.

"We're offering a small community up north that's a little bit remote or isolated, versus 16 other places that teachers could go," he said.

"A place in northern Manitoba or Dubai — what are you going to pick?"

Kae Blancher is the principal of Frontier Collegiate in Cranberry Portage in northern Manitoba, but was recruited as vice-principal from Ontario in 2021.

She says it's been a great experience expanding on her 25 years of teaching experience to become more involved in school leadership, something she would have had more difficulty accessing in an urban centre.

"There's not as many opportunities [in the south], so it was definitely a reason why I took the leap to be able to come," she said.

Out-of-province education isn't recognized

But Blancher said her future in Cranberry Portage was in question for a time because of legislation in Manitoba that makes it difficult for out-of-province teachers to be certified to work here, or for their pay to be in line with their education level.

Prior to coming to Manitoba, Blancher took 11 university courses called "additional qualifications," according to the Ontario College of Teachers.

"None of those 11 courses are recognized under Manitoba certification, so I'm being paid significantly less of a teacher's salary here," she said.

"It needs to be at least financially equal. I'm not asking for anything more than I already have, that's already recognized by the Ontario College of Teachers."

Blancher isn't the only one to have her education not recognized.

"I just heard today of a teacher who has a master's degree from Alberta … and her master's degree hasn't been recognized," she said.

Blancher believes it's a barrier for retaining teachers, especially in the north where cost of living is higher.

Klassen agrees it's a problem, and says it's also a costly and lengthy process.

"We're not suggesting in any way that teachers be less qualified. We want the best qualified teachers, but we had an email from from one teacher out east who was willing to come. We had offered him a job and he just said, 'It's just going to take too much time … and too many steps and I'm just going to decline the offer and look for something else,'" Klassen said.

Klassen wants to see legislation amended to ensure the certification hurdle is eliminated — something he thinks will help manage the division's staffing shortage.

Education Minister Wayne Ewasko says the challenges teachers face in Manitoba are concerning to him as an educator.

"We're taking a look at that as far as the different certification reviews of what's being accepted and what's not," he said at a news conference on Wednesday.

He also reminded people facing challenges that there are temporary teaching permits available.