Ontario's education minister says OCDSB trustees elected Oct. 26 will not regain power soon
Ontario's education minister Paul Calandra told reporters on Wednesday that he has no immediate plans to reinstate trustees at Ottawa's public school board, even as voters prepare to elect 10 new OCDSB trustees on October 26.
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Ontario's education minister said on Wednesday that he has no plans to return power to the trustees that voters will elect at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board on October 26. CTV News Ottawa reported the statement from Education Minister Paul Calandra, who told reporters he has no intention of returning the OCDSB to trustees anytime in the near future.
The province took control of the OCDSB in June 2025 after the board posted four consecutive deficit budgets. At that point the province removed the 12 elected trustees and appointed Robert Plamondon as supervisor. The OCDSB is projecting a $3.5 million deficit for the current school year, which board officials have called "transitional." CTV News Ottawa reported that the board avoided what would have been an $18.5 million deficit through cuts to central administration.
Calandra told reporters the board needs to reach a stable financial position before elected trustees regain control. He said he wants to see the board on a long-term stable path first, and that it was good to know candidates are running so there will be trustees ready when the province eventually returns control.
Reduced powers for trustees province-wide
CTV News Ottawa reported that Ontario has introduced new rules for trustees at all English public and Catholic school boards. Under these rules, the chief executive officer of a board leads budget development rather than trustees. Trustee honoraria are capped at a maximum of $10,000 per year. Trustees must also pay out of pocket for certain membership fees for external organizations.
Calandra described the new role as giving trustees the ability to do the most important part of their job: representing parents.
33 candidates running for OCDSB; 5 Catholic trustees acclaimed
CTV News Ottawa reported that 33 candidates are running for trustee across the 12 OCDSB zones. In the Ottawa Catholic School Board, five of the 10 trustee seats had only one candidate registered and will be filled without a vote. Scott Phelan in Zone 1, Sandra Moore in Zone 2, Brian Coburn in Zone 3, Joanne MacEwan in Zone 5, and Mark D Mullan in Zone 8 are each running unopposed.
What this means on October 26
Voters in an OCDSB zone will still choose one trustee on October 26. Those trustees will take office after voting day, but whether or when the province returns full budget authority to the board is a decision that remains with the minister. Advance voting is on October 16, with voting places open from 10 am to 8 pm. You can find your voting place through the City of Ottawa's voting tool at ottawa.ca/voting, or see a full list of candidates at Ottawa 2026 candidates.
Questions this story answers
Why are voters electing OCDSB trustees if they will not have power?
Ontario's education minister Paul Calandra told reporters on October 14, 2026 that he has no immediate plans to reinstate trustees at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, even though voters will elect 10 new trustees on October 26. The province removed the previous 12 elected trustees when it took control of the board in June 2025. The minister said he wants to see the board reach a stable financial position before returning it to elected trustees. CTV News Ottawa reported the minister's statement on October 14.
Why did Ontario take control of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board?
CTV News Ottawa reported that the Ontario government took control of the OCDSB in June 2025 after the board posted four straight deficit budgets. Robert Plamondon was appointed as supervisor to oversee the board and its budget process. The OCDSB is projecting a $3.5 million deficit for the current school year, which board officials described as "transitional." The board had avoided what would have been an $18.5 million deficit through cuts to central administration, CTV News Ottawa reported.
What will the new OCDSB trustees actually be able to do?
Under new provincial rules that apply to all English public and Catholic school boards in Ontario, the chief executive officer of a board leads budget development instead of the trustees. Trustee honoraria are capped at a maximum of $10,000 per year. The minister said the new role of trustees is to represent parents. Whether the OCDSB trustees will be reinstated to their previous powers depends on the province's decision after the election. CTV News Ottawa reported these details on October 14, 2026.
How many people are running for OCDSB trustee in the 2026 Ottawa election?
CTV News Ottawa reported on October 14, 2026 that 33 candidates are running for trustee in the 12 OCDSB zones. Voters in each zone will choose one trustee on October 26, 2026. You can find the full list of OCDSB candidates on the Ottawa 2026 candidates page at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates.
What happened with the Ottawa Catholic School Board trustee races?
CTV News Ottawa reported that five of the 10 trustee seats on the Ottawa Catholic School Board were acclaimed, meaning no vote is needed in those zones. Scott Phelan in Zone 1, Sandra Moore in Zone 2, Brian Coburn in Zone 3, Joanne MacEwan in Zone 5, and Mark D Mullan in Zone 8 each ran unopposed and will take office after October 26.
Who is Robert Plamondon?
Robert Plamondon is the supervisor appointed by the Ontario government to oversee the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and its budget process after the province removed the elected trustees in June 2025. CTV News Ottawa reported that Education Minister Calandra said Plamondon and OCDSB CEO Stacey Kay have made good progress, including reducing spending at the head office and redirecting money to the classroom.
What did the education minister say about reinstating trustees?
CTV News Ottawa reported on October 14, 2026 that Education Minister Paul Calandra told reporters he has no intention of returning the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to trustees in the near future. He said the board needs to balance its budget and be on a long-term stable path first. The minister also said it is good to know there will be trustees in place when the province does decide to return power to the board.
When and where do Ottawa residents vote for school board trustees?
Voting day is October 26, 2026. Advance voting takes place on October 16, 2026, with voting places open from 10 am to 8 pm. You can find your voting place through the City of Ottawa's online tool at ottawa.ca/voting. On the ballot you will be asked to vote for a trustee in your school board zone.
How does the OCDSB situation affect how I should vote?
The candidates running for OCDSB trustee on October 26 will take office if elected, but the Ontario education minister has said the board will not be returned to trustee control in the near future. That means elected trustees will have a limited role until the province decides to reinstate them. CTV News Ottawa reported the minister's statement on October 14, 2026. You can see the full list of OCDSB trustee candidates at /on/ottawa-2026/candidates.
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