ABC fails Vancouver students and parents with School Board Budget

VANCOUVER, BC – COPE School Board Trustee Suzie Mah voted against the 2025-26 Budget at last night's Vancouver School Board meeting. 

“This Budget fails our children and doesn’t adequately address their needs, and I couldn’t allow this to pass without dissent,” said Trustee Mah. 

Last night's final Budget vote passed by a margin of 6 to 2, with Mah and Trustee Jennifer Reddy opposed.

“I’m disappointed at the lack of initiative on the part of ABC to respond to input from our stakeholders who tried their best to make changes that would’ve better met the needs of our students,” added Mah. 

Earlier this month amendments introduced by Suzie Mah – including to prevent cuts to the Safe and Caring Schools program, and ensure replacement coverage for resource teachers when they are away sick – were defeated by ABC, Green, and independent trustees. Additional amendments introduced by Trustee Reddy, including one calling for the restoration of a living wage for bus drivers, were also defeated. The defeat of these amendments left a Budget that reduces mental health support for students, reduces operating hours for our vital Strong Start programs, and means key workers supporting our students will be paid less. 

“As Trustees, we are required to balance the Budget but we are also elected to advocate for public education. It’s not good enough just to bemoan chronic underfunding; we also have a responsibility to look at how we’re using the funds we do get,” said Mah. 

“It’s outrageous that we’re cutting the wages of bus drivers who are taking care of our most precious cargo - students who rely on the safety and continuity that skilled and reasonably well-compensated drivers provide.”

The VSB Budget for 2025-26 comes to nearly $795 million. Contrary to ABC’s status quo approach, Trustee Mah believes in prioritizing teachers and support workers who work directly to support our students even if that means reducing the share of the budget spent on management salaries. 

“When cuts need to be made they should be made at the top, not at the bottom where they hurt those most in need.”

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To arrange an interview please contact suzie@copevancouver.ca 

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