Winnipeg's largest school division boosts budget 3.3%, costing homeowners an extra $45

Homeowners in the Winnipeg School Division will pay about $45 more per year on their property taxes after trustees approved a 3.3 per cent budget increase.

This dollar figure is based on the average assessed home value of $214,200.

The division's budget for the 2018-19 school year is $410,984,800.

"While we recognize there are several important administration needs that have been identified for Winnipeg School Division, we have deferred those items to ensure front-line programming remains intact," said board chair Sherri Rollins. 

New this year for the school division are funding and revenue for its International Education Program and the Swimming Counts program initiated in January 2018.

There are also funds to address new provincial guidelines for workplace safety in schools and buildings, a news release from the school division states.

The guidelines require changes related to formaldehyde and formalin specimens in science labs, retrofitting some equipment in industrial arts programs and a variety of other personal protective and monitoring equipment.

Funding has also been allocated to cover an expected $400,000 carbon tax bill as a result of the province's climate and green plan, which sets a carbon price of $25 per tonne, the division's news release states.

The Winnipeg School Division was established in 1871 and currently has 78 schools, 33,000 students and 6,000 employees.