School district approaches finalization of $108m annual budget

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The local school district is approaching the final step of approving a $108.2 million annual budget. 

School District 60 (SD60) is moving forward with approving its annual budget for the 2025/2026 school year. 

On May 5th the first preliminary budget was reviewed, with numbers since being adjusted according to feedback from the trustees.

During the May 20th regular meeting of the SD60 board of trustees, the latest draft of the annual budget bylaw was presented, reviewed and approved for its first and second reading. 

The budget bylaw will require three readings and approvals from the board before it is passed and enacted for the school year. 

The total budget bylaw amount comes to approximately $108.2 million, with total estimated operating expenses of $87 million, $12.07 million in special purpose fund purchases, tangible capital asset purchases of $478,767 and just under $6.6 million in capital fund expenses. 

The school district is predicting $86.7 million in revenue throughout the year, of which the Ministry of Education and Child Care will be providing a provincial grant of approximately $83.6 million.

The remaining $3.1 million is expected to come from sources such as tuition, rentals and leases and investment income. 

The $87 million operating expenses has been divided into four functions, namely instruction, district administration, operations and maintenance, and transportation and housing. 

Approximately $69.6 million of the operating expenses are going to instruction costs and $10.1 million is budgeted for operations and maintenance expenses. 

About $4.37 million is set aside for transportation and housing costs and the remaining $2.9 million is allocated for district administration.

The district is budgeting for approximately $60.5 million in salary costs and $14.63 million in benefits, for a total cost of $75.13 million. 

Services and supplies for the district are estimated to cost $11.87 million for the 2025/2026 school year.

The budget bylaw will be read for a final time in a future board meeting.