UGDSB students, staff protest custodial layoffs

GUELPH – Students say they’re seeing the impacts of caretaker layoffs at the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB). 

They rallied along with custodians outside Two Rivers Secondary School on Sept. 17 to protest the layoffs.

Many passersby, including cars, transport trucks and first responders, honked horns in support as they drove through the busy intersection Thursday afternoon. 

Last month, the UGDSB said it would lay off 12 caretakers and not fill nine vacant positions, resulting in nine per cent fewer custodians. 

Board officials say “the number of actual layoffs issued as of Aug. 31 was eight,” and three custodians have since been recalled. The recalls are due to retirements and resignations, so the reduction in positions is still 21. 

Union officials initially warned the reduction would mean reduced cleanliness in schools, while board officials insisted the schools would be just as clean.

Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute students at the rally said their school is significantly less clean this year, describing dirty bathrooms, menstrual pads stuck to walls and dust bunnies in the halls.

“There is definitely a difference in cleanliness,” said Grade 12 student Lily Dunlop. 

“The bathrooms stink,” added student Kera Green. 

“I feel bad using the bathroom because of how gross it is, with so many less people to clean it,” said Grade 12 student Liam Carscadden.  

“There are three pads stuck to a wall that have been there since the first day of school,” student Kemi Olagunju added. 

They don’t blame custodians, and said they came out to support Centennial head caretaker George Crawford. 

Green approached Crawford the day of the protest and asked if students could show up. After he gave her the go-ahead, she started spreading the word. 

“I take care of them and they take care of me,” Crawford told the Advertiser when asked how it felt to see the students protesting.   

“The workers are stretched too thin,” Green said, noting Crawford had to clean up vomit multiple times over the last couple of days. 

“He’s everywhere, all the time,” Olagunju said, and the custodial layoffs mean he has a heavier workload.

“He has a family, he is a very nice guy,” and he deserves reasonable work and fair pay, Olagunju continued.   

Students feel the caretakers are expected to do extra work “and still get paid the same” Dunlop said. 

“It’s not fair,” added Charvini Abayakoon.  

Board representative Heather Loney did not answer whether the reduced number of custodians is impacting school cleanliness.

However, she said, “To support consistent cleaning practices across the system, staff have developed priority cleaning standards that help identify and prioritize essential cleaning work, including during periods of staff absence. 

“[Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 256] was invited to participate in the development of these standards but declined.”

Loney added, “Our custodial staff and contracted custodial service providers do an excellent job of supporting clean and safe learning and working environments for students and staff. The UGDSB continues to monitor staffing and operational needs across the system and responds as needed.”  

CUPE 256 president Stephanie Moni said “I don’t know how somebody can do 16 hours of cleaning in eight hours. 

“They might be expecting us to maintain standards, but we are going to have more people burnt out, and hurt, and pushed out of work,” she said. Moni added she worries this will lead to increased absenteeism, which board officials point to as one of the factors necessitating the layoffs. 

“For 2026-27, the UGDSB has budgeted nearly $21 million for replacement staffing related to employee absences, compared with approximately $12 million before the pandemic,” Loney told the Advertiser. “This represents an average cost of approximately $105,000 each school day.”

Custodians aren’t missing work because they’re abusing the system, Moni said – “We want to do our jobs.” 

But some are already struggling with back and shoulder pain from working too hard this month, she said. 

“They feel like they’re running around like chickens with their heads cut off.”

Sharing information

The rally took place at the same time and place as UGDSB CEO and former director Peter Sovran’s retirement party, which Loney said “was paid for privately and was attended by family/friends, staff, trustees and community partners.” 

Moni said the group protested outside the party because many leaders were there, including school principals and vice principals, and the union wanted to share information “so people know what’s going on.”  

They distributed handouts from CUPE and the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU)  that describe an “understaffing crisis in Ontario publicly funded schools” and highlight the unions’ central bargaining proposals. 

Union officials have argued Ontario’s education system has faced a cumulative funding “cut” of over $6.4 billion since 2018, causing “a serious staffing crisis in school boards that is affecting students and education workers every single day.” 

However, education funding has steadily increased since 2018, but it has not kept pace with inflation and enrolment growth. 

According to Ministry of Education spokesperson Emma Testani, “This year, Ontario is providing a record $30.6 billion in core education funding to school boards. 

“For the 2026-27 school year, the [UGDSB] is projected to receive $499.5 million, an increase of $4.2 million over last year, despite a projected decrease in enrolment,” she stated in an email. 

Students said they’re feeling funding cuts across many aspects of their education, including reduced extracurricular activities, fewer teachers, not enough Chromebooks, power outages and elevators breaking down.

One student said an adult entered College Heights Secondary School undetected, cornered her and tried to grab her – something she feels wouldn’t have happened if there were more teachers, security cameras or a school resource officer around.

Moni blames both the province and the board for the custodial cuts, though she said the province, which determines funding, shoulders more of the blame.

“We essentially just want to be considered,” Moni said.