---
title: "Ontario's education minister says OCDSB trustees elected Oct. 26 will not regain power soon"
description: "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."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/ocdsb-minister-no-reinstatement-2026-10-14"
last_updated: "2026-10-17T18:36:40.714Z"
---

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](/on/ottawa-2026/candidates).

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