Louis Riel School Division Board of Trustees Adopts Budget for 2025-2026

March 12, 2025, Winnipeg, MB – At a special meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) Board of Trustees approved a $273,805,146 budget for the 2025-26 school year. View a snapshot of the budget here. 

Since the release of the draft budget, LRSD has continued to refine the costs relative to projected enrolment, making strategic adjustments, including shifting dollars from operational expenditures to staffing to better support students and classrooms. 

“This budget is about making strategic investments that directly benefit our students,” said Chris Sigurdson, Chair of the LRSD Board of Trustees. “We are committed to ensuring our schools remain well-equipped to support every learner’s success.” 

To address enrolment growth, increased costs from recent collective agreements, and inflation, the budget includes a 6.43 per cent mill rate increase for property owners within the division. 

“With this budget, we are taking a balanced approach to meet the needs of our growing student population and manage rising costs,” said Jamie Rudnicki, Secretary-Treasurer. “Our goal is to ensure that every dollar spent directly benefits students and supports the long-term sustainability of our division.” 

Key investments include an increase of 45.67 teachers, 4.45 clinicians, 18.03 educational assistants, and 12.78 support staff to maintain reasonable class sizes, enhanced support for multilingual learners, well-being resources, and flexible learning spaces. It allocates $100,000 for a Grades 3-4 water safety pilot program, informing a phased rollout. A six-year plan to retrofit ten schools with air conditioning begins with a $630,000 investment in 2025-26. Additionally, $250,000 is designated to enhance cybersecurity, including 24/7 intrusion detection, liability insurance, and compliance measures to protect student and staff data. Through these strategic investments, LRSD aims to advance its mission of fostering an inclusive and engaging educational experience for all students. 

“Our Multi-Year Strategic Plan continues to guide our actions and decisions,” said Christian Michalik, Superintendent. “This budget reflects our commitment to providing equitable and inclusive learning experiences for every student.”