By Steve Lambert
The Manitoba government is increasing public school funding by 3.5 per cent for the school year that starts in September.
That includes a 2.9 per cent increase for operating costs, as well as money for capital projects and other items.
Education Minister Tracy Schmidt says the increase is above the recent rate of inflation, which Statistics Canada pegged at 2.7 per cent last year.
The funding for each school division is based partly on enrolment, and the province is maintaining its guarantee that no division will see its funding drop.
Some school divisions have raised property taxes sharply and have warned they need more money to pay for wage increases and rising enrolment.
Teacher salaries are being standardized across the province, and the government funding includes money to help school divisions facing the steepest increases in meeting the new salaries.
