A week before children across British Columbia head back to class, school boards are scrambling to deal with an unexpected funding shortfall.
The B.C. government has eliminated an annual facilities grant program worth $110 million. Vancouver's share is roughly $10 million.
"There's work that has to be done. There's fire testing, exterior building envelope protection. there's graffiti removal, asbestos abatement -- which is huge," said Patti Bacchus, Vancouver School Board chair.
Outside Vancouver, there have already been layoffs. The Nanaimo School District has announced 16 layoffs.
The Ministry of Education says school boards knew back in the spring that funding was at risk and that they should spend wisely.
"Anything they call surplus was set aside for summer work on our schools," Bacchus said. "That work is just winding up. By the time we pay the bills we'll be in the red. We'll actually be $200,000 in the hole. So there is no money."
On Friday, Barry O'Neill, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees B.C., called the cut a "double whammy for district staff and boards of education who have been working diligently to deal with the budget that they were asked to work within just a few months ago."
Some parents, such as Dawn Steele, are worried their children will pay the ultimate price.
"I have a child who is special needs, and every time we see cuts they're the first that are cut because they're considered discretionary spending," she said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Norma Reid
