Rising enrolment drives compensation growth and capital investments in elementary and secondary schools in 2023/2024

Released: 2026-02-03

Record student enrolment and new collective agreements propel growth in public school compensation

In 2023/2024, expenditures on salaries, wages, and benefits for instructional and educational services staff in Canadian public schools rose 8.7% to $54.9 billion, the largest single year increase since 1976/1977. These costs accounted for just under three-quarters (72.9%) of total school board operating expenses, driven primarily by record enrolment growth and the implementation of new collective agreements.

Canada's population grew by 3.2% in 2023, the fastest rate since 1957, reaching 40.8 million by January 1, 2024. This population growth has contributed to an increase in student enrolments for Canadian elementary and secondary schools, which rose by 125,200 (+2.3%) during the same period, marking the largest increase since enrolment statistics were first compiled in 1997/1998. To accommodate this surge in enrolment, the number of public-school educators also grew, up by 2.1% in 2023/2024. Consequently, these trends have contributed to higher overall expenditures on salaries and benefits.

In 2023/2024, Alberta (+3.6%) and New Brunswick (+3.4%) saw the largest enrolment increases in Canada, contributing to an expansion of their educator workforces. New Brunswick experienced a 6.3% increase in the number of educators, while Alberta recorded a 3.0% rise, the largest among provinces in 2023/2024. These demographic and staffing changes contributed to higher compensation expenditures, with spending on instructional and educational services staff rising by 11.7% in New Brunswick and 3.2% in Alberta.

Beyond growth in the number of educators, new collective agreements also played a key role in the sharp rise in compensation costs for these staff in 2023/2024.

In Ontario, education workers ratified new agreements securing wage increases for 2023/2024 and received retroactive salary payments as remedy for the repeal of Bill 124. This resulted in a temporary spike of 15.2% in compensation costs compared with the previous year. Bill 124, introduced in 2019, had capped annual salary increases for public sector workers.

In New Brunswick, a new collective agreement ratified in 2023 included increases to salary grids, impacting compensation in 2023/2024, along with retroactive payments for years worked since the expiration of the previous contract.

Public schools allocate record amount of spending for capital projects

Capital expenditures made by public schools reached an all-time high of $9.1 billion 2023/2024, up 3.0% from the previous year. This increase in capital investment reflects the costs associated with both infrastructure modernization and the expansion and construction of schools, particularly in jurisdictions experiencing rapid enrolment growth.

Several provinces with major infrastructure initiatives played a key role in driving the national increase in capital expenditures in 2023/2024.

In Quebec, public schools reported a record $3.9 billion in capital investment over this period, supported in part through the ongoing Quebec Infrastructure Plan, which funds the construction of additional classrooms and school renewal projects.

Public schools in Manitoba also reported a single-year record in capital spending, allocating $343 million toward new school construction and expansion to address recent capacity pressures.

Although public schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia did not reach record spending levels, both reported significant year-over-year increases, with growth of +54.3% in Saskatchewan and +25.8% in British Columbia.

Ancillary revenues approach pre-pandemic level

In 2023/2024, ancillary revenues increased in every province and territory except Prince Edward Island and Quebec, resulting in a 7.6% increase at the national level compared with the previous year.

Ancillary revenues reached a 19-year low in 2020/2021, when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions substantially reduced proceeds from sources such as cafeteria sales, parking fees, school events and fundraising.

By 2023/2024, ancillary revenues accounted for 4.9% of total revenues for public schools, up from 3.2% in 2020/2021, reflecting a continued recovery toward pre-pandemic levels.

Contact information

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