Overview

In June 2023, the Minister of Education appointed an investigator to examine the financial affairs of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) because the board was reporting a growing accumulated deficit since the end of the 2020-2021 school year and was not able to develop a financial recovery plan to address its financial situation.

The resulting investigation report provided recommendations to improve the school board’s financial position and recommended that control and charge of the school board should be vested in the ministry.

The ministry issued specific directions to the DPCDSB to address its financial deficit in October 2023 based on this investigation report. Since then, the board’s financial position has continued to deteriorate, leading to growing concerns that the board will no longer be able to meet its financial obligations.

In June 2025, Paul Cleaver was appointed to: 

  • validate the school board’s current financial position
  • recommend whether control and charge of the board should be vested in the ministry

Based on the findings and recommendation in the investigation report, we are appointing a supervisor to take over the governance and decision-making functions of the DPCDSB, including financial management, policy implementation and operational oversight.

Financial investigation

As a result of the DPCDSB’s accumulated deficit in the 2024-25 school year and probable financial default, the financial investigator recommended the supervision of the DPCDSB is warranted.

Read the investigation report (PDF)

Supervision of the DPCDSB

We appointed Rick Byers, delegated by the Minister of Education, to:

  • review the operational inefficiencies and opportunities to improve resource allocation
  • develop and implement a plan to return the board to a balanced financial position while protecting the best interest of students
  • enhance financial oversight and governance by promoting transparency and ensuring accountability in financial operations
  • report progress on these actions to the ministry

About the supervisor

Rick Byers is an experienced financial executive who started his career as an auditor and Chartered Accountant. He has a clear understanding of public resource management and over the years, has managed global infrastructure investments exceeding $9 billion, overseen infrastructure development, handled public-private partnerships and led advisory work for public entities such as Infrastructure Ontario. A former federal policy advisor, Mr. Byers also contributed to four budgets and key tax policy initiatives. He served as MPP from 2022 to 2025 and during that term was Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board. He currently serves as a board member of a local health agency and was on the board of a national charity that supports military families.

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