A new report released as most Ontario students return to classrooms today says students at schools in wealthier and urban neighbourhoods have greater access to extracurriculars like sports and clubs.
The report from advocacy group People for Education shows that while extracurricular activities have largely recovered from being paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, access is lagging behind for those in rural or low-income areas.
Based on a survey of 1,044 principals across Ontario, it found 80 per cent of schools in high-income areas offered arts clubs and 44 per cent had an LGBTQ alliance last school year, compared to 66 per cent and 29 per cent of schools in low-income areas, respectively.
The report notes that since there is no specific provincial funding for arts, sports and clubs, schools depend on fundraising — but it was at a 10-year low last year, and high-income schools raised almost three times more than low-income ones.
People for Education Executive Director Annie Kidder says they are concerned the province’s “back to basics” education policy is squeezing out broader learning opportunities.
They are calling on the province to develop policy and funding that recognizes the established benefits of extracurricular activities, ensures equitable access and create a task force to inform those models.