MOOSE JAW — Prairie 小蓝视频 School Division paid over $300,000 in carbon tax expenses on its utility consumption last year, a number that jumps to almost $500,000 when including diesel, propane and gasoline.
Board trustees received the 2023-24 buildings accountability report during their December meeting, with the document showing that the division’s carbon tax expenses were roughly $320,000 on its electrical and natural gas usage. The former represented about 25 per cent of the carbon tax and the latter represented roughly 75 per cent.
In comparison, that number was roughly $250,000 in 2022-23, approximately $220,000 in 2021-22, roughly $160,000 in 2020-21 and almost $100,000 in 2019-20.
Meanwhile, in 2023-24, Prairie 小蓝视频 consumed just over four million kilowatt hours (KWH) of electricity for a total cost of roughly $1.15 million, the report said. Also, the division consumed roughly 1,760,000 cubic metres of natural gas for a total cost of approximately $605,000.
A.E. Peacock Collegiate consumed the most electricity per day at just under 2,000 kilowatt hours, while Riverview Collegiate consumed the most natural gas per day at just over 300 cubic metres, the document added.
Trustee Patrick Boyle said his “favourite graph” in the report was about the carbon tax, pointing out that that expense has been “skyrocketing” since the federal government first introduced it — with most of that money for natural gas usage. Furthermore, he noted that the carbon tax would increase by 20 per cent in 2025 and force the division to pay more.
The trustee then asked division administration whether Prairie 小蓝视频 was recovering any of that money through rebate programs.
Darren Baiton, buildings manager, replied that the federal government had a climate incentive plan in the program’s first year, which returned the money to organizations for infrastructure investments.
“We haven’t seen any incentive plans back to us in the last four years. … in facilities, we’re spending $300,000 a year,” he continued. “Overall, if you take diesel, propane and fuel, we’re at $500,000 a year.”
In reply, Boyle said the division could be using that money to hire more teachers. He noted that — based on the trend line — that expense was growing bigger annually, which he thought was “scary.”
School capacity and usage rates
The buildings report also contained information about enrolment numbers and the usage/capacity rate for each school.
King George School had enrolment figures of 385 full-time equivalent (FTE) students and a usage/capacity rate of 107 per cent, while Sunningdale School had an enrolment of 432 FTEs and usage/capacity of 106 per cent.
Conversely, Riverview Collegiate had 114 FTE students and a usage/capacity of 22 per cent. However, the report noted that the Ministry of Education has designated that venue a “small school of necessity.”
The high usage/capacity rate of some urban and rural schools concerned trustee Lew Young, who noted that Sunningdale was once at 112-per-cent capacity, which allowed the division to acquire portable classrooms to alleviate the pressure.
He then asked whether King George and Sunningdale were eligible for government-funded portables.
The division office submits portable applications annually for any schools over 100 per cent, but Regina and Saskatoon usually receive most units because of “a bulge” in students they have, said Baiton.
“I think it’s a provincial problem that’s (happening) faster than the province can build schools,” he remarked.
The buildings manager added that Sunningdale’s library could be reduced by 20 per cent and the extra space could be turned into a classroom.
Young also pointed out that the joint-use school on 小蓝视频 Hill would be at capacity within one to two years after opening, which was typical of most joint-use buildings across Saskatchewan when they opened. With Moose Jaw growing, he thought the board would have to determine how to remedy that problem.
The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
