The Ontario government says it has ratified an agreement with the province’s 8,000 school principals and vice-principals regarding employment terms and conditions.
The news comes just over a week after a tentative deal was struck between the parties and the province.
In a statement Wednesday, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he was “pleased to announce” that the tentative settlement “has now been approved by all parties.”
“We believe it is crucial that students continue to learn in class, which is why we are advancing stability at this critical time,” the statement reads.
The last deal expired in August of 2020.
According to the provincial government, the deal was struck with the Ontario Principals’ Council, Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario and the Association des directions et directions adjointes des écoles franco-Ontariennes.
The agreement also includes the four associations representing school boards: the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association, Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, Association franco-Ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques and Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario.
The agreement applies to all principals and vice-principals working in publicly-funded schools in the province.
According to the provincial government, the agreement includes salary increases of one per cent a year for three years, benefit funding increases and professional development funding of $400,000 in years two and three of the agreement.
It also includes investments in system priorities such as staffing of principals and vice-principals, including $4.3 million in years two and three of the agreement.
Lecce said the deal “delivers much-needed certainty to Ontario’s families and education workforce” which “enables principals and vice-principals to continue to demonstrate leadership that is keeping staff and students learning in our schools.”
Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association President Patrick Daly said the agreement “recognizes the pivotal role of principals and vice-principals in our Catholic schools.”
“We want to recognize the co-operation and collaboration between all of the provincial education associations throughout the discussion,” Daly said.
“We especially want to thank the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario for our strong partnership, and the members of the negotiating team, including senior staff from our Catholic school boards and OCSTA.”