“I will not stand by while a board’s incompetence directly impacts student achievement,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Education.
The Ontario government is taking control of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) after a ministry review confirmed deep-rooted dysfunction and mismanagement that have eroded public confidence. The Minister of Education is using newly broadened powers of oversight and authority enabled by last month’s Royal Assent of the Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, to place NNDSB under supervision.
“This decisive action should serve as a warning to any board that is failing in its responsibility to put students first,” Calandra said in a news release. “We are putting school boards on notice that I now have the authority to quickly assume control where there is clear mismanagement and ensure accountability on behalf of parents and teachers.”
The ministry review, which revealed significant failures in governance and leadership that have caused considerable disruption to student learning, came in response to major setbacks and delays in opening a new, state-of-the-art school for JK-12 students in Parry Sound. Hundreds of elementary students were forced to start the school year at another school, while high school students switched to remote learning and are now being taught in a half-demolished high school.
The review also found:
- An alarming lack of leadership in the senior administration of the school board
- The school board was divided, inexperienced, and unwilling or unable to carry out its responsibilities
- Trustees showed limited understanding of governance principles despite training opportunities
- Significant concerns about the Director of Education’s leadership and professional conduct, including inappropriate use by a family member of a corporate credit card
The Minister issued 15 binding directions to the school board to address the reviewer’s recommendations to strengthen effective governance at the NNDSB and rebuild public confidence. The board failed to comply with 10 directions within the timelines set by the Minister, which is why it was placed under supervision.
On November 24th, Graydon Smith, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, issued the following statement:
“The Near North District School Board (NNDSB) has become increasingly dysfunctional and appears unable to effectively manage its responsibilities. Its continued inability to follow directives from the Ministry of Education, along with its lack of effort to address the legitimate concerns of parents and students in Parry Sound, is deeply troubling.
It was situations like this, created by the NNDSB’s ongoing mismanagement, that prompted the need for Bill 33, the Supporting Children and Students Act. Our government has taken action to ensure the Minister of Education has the necessary tools to respond to unacceptable breakdowns in school board governance.
Today, I am urging the Minister of Education, Paul Calandra, to appoint a supervisor as quickly as possible to take control of the Near North District School Board.
Furthermore, I believe it is important that those responsible for the current situation in Parry Sound be held accountable, including removal from their roles where appropriate and justified.
I will continue to stand with, and advocate for, the parents, students, and teachers across West Parry Sound who have been affected by the NNDSB’s repeated failures.” A media advisory from the NNDSB announced that the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Director of Education will be attending a Special Meeting of the Town of Parry Sound council on December 4th at 7:00 PM. The Chair and Director will be presenting an update on the progress of the Parry Sound JK-12 school. The meeting will be livestreamed on the town’s website..
The supervisor for NNDSB will be named in the near future, with the Minister providing supervision in the interim. Six school boards in Ontario are currently under supervision to address concerns related to growing deficits, depleting reserves and mismanagement.
The Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, builds on the government’s ongoing work to uphold trust in Ontario’s publicly funded education system and is part of the government’s plan to build a strong, accountable and well-supported education system with a back-to-basics approach that is focused on improving student outcomes.
The Near North District School Board encompasses Parry Sound, Nipissing, and the Almaguin Highlands districts, with 34 schools and 10K students.
