Education spending in Canadian public schools has grown steadily over the past decade, rising from $63 billion in 2013-14 to $88.4 billion in 2022-23, a nominal increase of 40.3 per cent, according to the Fraser Institute
Nationally, inflation-adjusted per-student spending increased by 5.9 per cent over the same period. However, several provinces, including Saskatchewan, experienced declines in spending per student after adjusting for inflation.
Saskatchewan saw a 14.8 per cent drop in per-student spending, the second-largest decline among provinces, moving the province from the highest spender in 2013-14 to seventh place in 2022-23. Alberta recorded the largest drop at 17.5 per cent, falling to the lowest per-student spending in the country.
Other provinces with reduced inflation-adjusted per-student spending include Newfoundland and Labrador (11.2 per cent), Manitoba (3 per cent), and Ontario (1.7 per cent).
Conversely, Quebec posted the highest growth in per-student spending, rising 40.6 per cent to move from second-lowest in 2013-14 to the highest in the country. Prince Edward Island (14.5 per cent), Nova Scotia (10.8 per cent), and British Columbia (9.3 per cent) also saw notable increases.
Despite strong growth in spending, British Columbia still ranks eighth nationally in per-student funding. Across Canada, student enrolment increased by an average of 5.6 per cent between 2013-14 and 2022-23, with Newfoundland and Labrador the only province recording a decline.
Compensation for teachers and other staff remains the largest portion of education spending and has contributed most to the growth in total costs over the past decade, according to Statistics Canada.