TORONTO — Ontario’s education minister has appointed himself as temporary supervisor as the province takes control of another school board.

Paul Calandra says the Near North District School Board is incompetent and has failed students.

The province recently passed Bill 33, which gives the education minister power to more easily place school boards under supervision.

Calandra says a ministry review of the board shows significant failures in governance and leadership.

He says the review came in response to setbacks in opening a new school in Parry Sound, Ont., that forced hundreds of elementary student to start the year in a different school while high school students started in remote learning and now are in a “half-demolished” school.

Calandra has already appointed supervisors at five other school boards due to what he calls mismanagement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2025.

The Canadian Press