Finance and budget

Three divisions of Finance & Administration

Under the direction of the Superintendent of Finance and Administration, the Finance Department is responsible for the development and administration of policies to allocate human and financial resources to support learning for all students. The Finance Department consists of three (3) operating divisions: Finance and Budget; Accounting; and Payroll.

Finance and Budget

The Finance and Budget division is responsible for the preparation and administration of the annual school board budget, government grants and other revenues, financial statement issuance and government reporting, short and long-term financing (including debenture issues), legal, audit and banking services, and internal audit services. Additionally, this division manages school cafeteria services and the School Generated Funds system, support and reporting.

Accounting

The Accounting division is responsible for the processing of supplier invoices, payment requisitions, expense reports, and petty cash, as well as accounts receivable, billing, cash receipts and deposits. Accounting also prepares financial statements and government reports, in addition to Federal (GST) and Provincial Sales Tax rebate applications.

Payroll

The Payroll division is responsible for coordinating all aspects of payroll. Payroll staff ensure the administration of employees’ pension plans, prepares applicable government reports, remits deductions, dues and premiums to external agencies.

 

2022-2023 Budget

The Ottawa Catholic School Board approved a $619.7M balanced Operating Budget for 2022-2023. We will use a planned drawdown of $4.4M in Accumulated Surplus Reserves to enhance outdoor learning spaces. This is a 2.3 % increase in expenditures year over year. All Board expenditures, directly or indirectly, serve and support the core Gospel values of faith, hope, love, community, the dignity of persons, excellence, justice, and stewardship for creation.

Highlights of Operating Budget 2022-2023

  • 25 Educational Assistants plus $1.4M for Temporary & Casual EA Support
  • 4 Mental Health Workers
  • 1 Equity, Diversity & Inclusive Support Officer
  • 3 Consultants to support Indigenous education, skilled trades programs and e-learning
  • 5.5 FTE Dedicated Itinerant Reading Intervention teachers
  • 1 Early Years Consultant
  • $20,000 increase for student-centred initiatives for the Black Student Forum and GSA Day
  • $50,000 Menstrual Products to allow easy access for students who cannot afford it
  • $2M for K-12 Tutors to support School Day and After School tutoring in literacy, math and french
  • A $7.5M multi-year investment in Outdoor Learning Spaces and Wifi allows school communities to incorporate innovative ideas into their outdoor learning spaces.

Financial statements

Our Board maintains a system of internal controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that assets are safeguarded, transactions are properly authorized and recorded in compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements, and reliable financial information is available on a timely basis for preparation of consolidated financial statements. These statements are audited by an independent external auditor appointed by the Board, who provides their opinion on the Board’s consolidated financial statements.