Ford’s school board takeover: a real estate heist disguised as education reform?

Let’s not sugarcoat it. Doug Ford’s so-called school board “takeover” isn’t about fixing schools. It’s about cutting, silencing, and selling — full stop.

For years, this government has starved public education of funding. They’ve ripped $6 billion out of our schools since 2018. They’ve forced larger class sizes, stripped special education supports, and left students and staff to deal with unsafe, crumbling learning environments.

Now, rather than admit the damage they’ve caused, Ford and Education Minister Paul Calandra are grabbing more power — rewriting the rules so they can take control of school boards, muzzle parents and trustees, and force through their own agenda.

Let’s be clear: their agenda has nothing to do with student success. This is about money and control — and, most of all, real estate. The Ministry has given the job of supervising the TDSB to Rohit Gupta, someone with no known experience managing anything related to public education. He is the senior managing partner of Harrington Place Advisors.  Harrington Place describes itself as “bridging public and private sector priorities” by “unearthing latent demand and identifying high value opportunities for public sector assets. He has a background in working with the federal government regarding public-private-partnerships as well as in mergers and acquisitions for Scotiabank. Prior to working at Harrington Place, he led transaction negotiations with Metrolinx for Boxfish Infrastructure Group. This doesn’t mean that the Ministry plans to sell the TDSB to the lowest bidder, but it is interesting that it has chosen a supervisor with so much experience in real estate transactions. 

The Toronto District School Board controls some of the most valuable public land in the country, with 612 properties worth up to $20 billion. Alexis Dawson, a community member who was publicly elected to serve as a Ward 9 trustee for the Board told School Magazine that she is worried that the Board takeover might be part of a land grab, Bill 98 passed in 2023 gives the Minister the power to force a Board to sell land not needed for future use – even to a private developer. Dawson is concerned that the supervisor is mindful of the TDSB’s future use needs.  Schools sit on prime real estate developers would love to get their hands on. And if history is any indication, that’s exactly what this takeover is paving the way for.

Look at the Greenbelt. Look at Ontario Place. Look at the billions in shady backroom deals this government has worked out with loyal friends and developers while communities lose green space, affordable housing, and public services. Highway 413 is expected to cost between $6  and $10 billion as friends along the route just happen to own land the government needs to buy. Costs of building the Therme Spa, the park, the stage and the new parking tower have ballooned from $335 million to $2.4 billion according to the Ontario Auditor General’s report from December  2024. Contrary to rules around calls for development Infrastructure Ontario’s vice president was in direct contact with primary leaseholder, Therme.

Ford and his insiders don’t see schools — they see dollar signs. They see land that could be flipped for a quick profit while they cry crocodile tears about “fiscal responsibility.”

And don’t be fooled by the language of “fixing deficits.” The only deficit driving this crisis is the one created at Queen’s Park — a manufactured shortfall caused by their own cuts and refusal to pay what they owe school boards. There is no magic solution through layoffs or so-called “efficiencies.” Teachers, education workers, and parents have been holding this system together with duct tape and goodwill for years. There is nothing left to cut.

What is left? Land. Lots of it. And now, with Bill 33, they’re giving themselves the power to steamroll communities, sideline elected trustees, shut down public input, and cash in.

This is an attack on public education, on democracy, and on our children’s future — dressed up as “reform.”

Parents, educators, and every Ontarian who values public schools should be outraged. We can’t be quiet. We can’t let them quietly dismantle our education system while they plan the next land sell-off.

We’ve seen the Ford government’s playbook. Starve the system. Blame everyone else. Change the rules. Sell off public assets. And reward their developer buddies.

It’s happening again — this time with our schools.

The only thing that’s ever stopped them is organized, vocal, public pressure. That’s what we need now.

Our message is simple: Keep your hands off our schools. Keep your hands off our public land. And start funding education properly — before there’s nothing left to fight for.

 

Nigel Barriffe, Dad, school teacher, singer/songwriter