Prince George, B.C.- School District 57’s Board of Education meets again this evening to discuss the on going financial challenges it faces due largely to the cancellation of the annual facility grant from the Province. The cancellation of that grant left the School District holding the bag for maintenance contracts already entered.

One of the options that has been under discussion by the Board is to ask for permission from the Province, to run a deficit for the next year. That idea is directly linked to the Province reviving the Annual Facility Grant in future years. Superintendent Brain Pepper says recent discussion with the Minister of Education at a session in Smithers left him with the impression that the Facility Grant will not be revived. If it is not revived, then the idea of a deficit   is not feasible as there is no future pool from which to draw the money to pay off the deficit.

The Board will also look at the first set of plans for possible school closures.