Toronto Star: Doug Ford’s Government Is To Blame for Ontario’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Crisis, Unions Charge

Ontario's Education Minister Stephen Lecce speaks to reporters outside the Ontario legislature on Feb. 20, 2024. (Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star)

Ontario schools can't recruit or retain enough teachers thanks to a “mess” created by the Ford government, Ontario’s four teachers’ unions charge.

Union leaders were responding to comments made Wednesday by Education Minister Stephen Lecce, who said the province is considering “every available option” to address a teacher shortage which has left school boards across Ontario scrambling.

They blamed the government for using “Band-Aid” solutions to fill growing gaps, such as extending the number of days retired teachers can work or allowing student-teachers to be at the front of the classroom.

Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association President René Jansen in de Wal said Lecce could do more to collaborate with educators.

“There are things he could do right now that would be far more effective, without anyone's permission … and he's not doing them,” Jansen in de Wal said.