The Ontario government has taken control of the Thames Valley District School Board’s (TVDSB) finances and operations, appointing seasoned executive Paul Boniferro as supervisor to steer the board toward greater financial stability and accountability.
Boniferro, a former Deputy Attorney General of Ontario and labour and employment lawyer, will now oversee all financial and operational decisions at the board.
His appointment follows a recommendation from a PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP investigation, which concluded that provincial intervention was necessary.
The investigation was launched after senior TVDSB officials attended a three-day retreat at the former SkyDome hotel in downtown Toronto last August—an expenditure that drew sharp criticism given the board’s multi-million-dollar deficit.
“Our government will be relentless in holding school boards accountable while ensuring students, parents and teachers have the resources they need for the best student achievement,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Education. “The Thames Valley board’s decision to send senior officials to a luxury retreat amid a multi-million-dollar deficit was unacceptable. We are taking over their operations to ensure proper management and accountability.”
Boniferro will provide regular updates to the Ministry of Education and focus on implementing cost-saving measures and improving operational efficiency.
The ministry says the goal is to ensure students continue to gain the skills they need for future employment.
Written by: K. Freeman
