Elementary school teachers in Ontario will receive $750 purchasing cards for classroom supplies starting next school year, Premier Doug Ford announced Wednesday.

The new Classroom Supplies Fund will be included in Ontario’s 2026 budget, which is scheduled to be released on March 26. Ford and Education Minister Paul Calandra say the new funding is meant to ensure teachers have the tools they need in the classroom without paying out of their own pockets.

Beginning in September 2026, elementary school homeroom teachers will be able to use the funds to order supplies through a provincial website, with items delivered directly to their schools.

“Our government is making record investments so that our students have the support and supplies they need to succeed and grow in school,” Ford said.

He said, the new fund “will give teachers across the province access to the resources they need, without forcing them to cover the costs themselves or wait to be reimbursed.”

Ford says he has encountered teachers buying classroom supplies with their own money while shopping at dollar stores and says they should not have to do that.

Under the program, teachers will receive a classroom supplies card directing them to the website, along with instructions on how to access it.

The online platform will offer a selection of commonly used classroom items organized by grade level, per the government. Those items are expected to include writing supplies, notebooks, calculators, chalk, arts and crafts materials, tissues and paper towels, along with posters and other classroom decor.

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, who joined the announcement Wednesday, says the move is part of the government’s broader education spending.

“We are committed to protecting student learning and ensuring teachers have the support they need for every student to thrive,” Bethlenfalvy said. “We will continue to strengthen accountability across the system and ensure that every investment is focused on student success and reaches the classroom where it matters most.”

Calandra says the government will also seek input from teachers about what supplies should be available through the online ordering system.

“We know that many teachers have been paying out of pocket for supplies. That isn’t fair for teachers or students,” he said. “That is why we are putting funds directly in the hands of teachers to ensure their classrooms are equipped to support student achievement.”

Teachers union pres calls out ‘political theatre’

The government says teachers and school boards will be surveyed as the system is developed to help determine which supplies should be available through the website.

Educators have long paid for classroom supplies themselves, but the move does not address broader funding concerns, said Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president David Mastin.

“For years, educators have spent hundreds of dollars of their own money to ensure students have what they need. If the government is finally acknowledging this reality, it’s long overdue. But let’s be clear,” Mastin said in a statement.

“Educators cannot be bought, and our commitment to strong public education is not something this government can purchase with a pre-bargaining announcement,” he said.

In his statement, Mastin, whose federation represents about 84,000 members, the province should focus on stable, adequate provincial funding, rather than what he calls “political theatre.”