Increased MSP costs a hit to school board's budget
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Chilliwack board of education wants a guarantee that the B.C. government will be covering the incoming cost increases to the Medical Service Plan (MSP) premiums.
Effective January 1, 2010, MSP premiums will be increased by about six per cent to a maximum of $3 a month for a single person and $6 a month per family, as was announced in last month's throne speech.
While that may not sound like a huge increase for one person, it adds up when there are hundreds of MSP premiums for one school district to cover.
As part of the collective agreement, with the British Columbia Public School Employers' Association, school districts cover the MSP costs for its staff, totaling approximately 1,000 staff members MSP premiums needing to be paid for in Chilliwack alone.
That means, in the current budget, the school district is facing a $25,000 increase to its costs, and a $50,000 increase next year.
It's too much, said board chair John-Henry Harter.
The board is requesting the B.C. School Trustees Association urge the Ministry of Education to ensure that operating grants to Boards of Education include funding to cover the increased costs of the MSP premiums.
"We are concerned with the government downloading so many cost increases on to boards," said Harter. "We have experienced repeated blows in terms of funding being cut and cost increases."
In addition to the MSP increase, boards of education were notified last month that they would not be receiving the annual facilities grant from the Ministry of Education – a $2 million hit to the Chilliwack school district's budget.
"We want a guarantee, some reassurance, that the increased payments in MSP premiums will be covered by the government in our operating grant," said Harter.
"These cuts and cost increases can't help but affect the quality of education being delivered in our classrooms."
kbartel@theprogress.com
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