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Contrary to complaints from political activists that public education is chronically underfunded in Canada, a new study from the fiscally conservative Fraser Institute says it has more than kept pace with the growth in enrollment and the ‘inflation.

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“Our results also indicate that compensation remains the most important and costly aspect of education spending and has contributed most of the growth in total education spending in Canada,” according to the report. Education spending in public schools in Canada, fall 2021 released Thursday.

Study authors Paige MacPherson, Joel Emes and Nathaniel Li examined Statistics Canada data on public education funding for the five-year period from 2014-2015 to 2018-2019 and arrived at the following conclusions:

After accounting for enrollment growth and adjusting for inflation, spending per student in Canada increased 2.6%, or $ 359 per student, from 2014/15 to 2018/19, pushing total spending down per student from $ 13,711 to $ 14,070.

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In seven of Canada’s ten provinces, spending per student increased over the five-year period studied.

Nova Scotia had the largest percentage increase, 9.2% or $ 1,262 per student, pushing total spending per student from $ 13,648 to $ 14,910.

In Quebec, spending per student increased 7.3% or $ 873 per student, bringing total spending per student from $ 12,014 to $ 12,887.

In PEI, spending per student increased 5.1% or $ 685 per student, bringing total spending per student from $ 13,323 to $ 14,008.

In New Brunswick, spending per student per student increased by 3% or $ 454 per student, bringing total spending per student from $ 15,032 to $ 15,486.

In Ontario, spending per student increased 2.8% or $ 405 per student, bringing total spending per student from $ 14,416 to $ 14,821.

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In British Columbia, spending per student increased 2.5% or $ 310 per student, bringing total spending per student from $ 12,203 to $ 12,513.

In Manitoba, per student spending increased 0.7% or $ 104 per student, bringing total spending per student from $ 15,330 to $ 15,434.

In three provinces, funding per student decreased from 2014-2015 to 2018-2019.

In Saskatchewan, spending per student declined 10.8% or $ 1,711 per student, reducing the total cost per student from $ 15,869 to $ 14,158.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, spending declined 9.9% or $ 1,410 per student, reducing the total cost per student from $ 14,238 to $ 12,828.

In Alberta, spending fell 4.3% or $ 618 per student, reducing the total cost per student from $ 14,254 to $ 13,636.

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During the same period of 2014-2015 to 2018-2019, the total compensation of teachers and other education workers in Canada, including salaries, wages, benefits and pensions, increased by 6, $ 2 billion, from $ 47.8 billion to $ 54 billion, or 13%.

Capital spending (new schools and expansion and renovation of existing facilities) had the highest growth rate of any spending category from 2014/15 to 2018/19, increasing by $ 1.3 billion from from $ 5.2 billion to $ 6.5 billion, or 25%.

“It is clear from the data presented that from 2014/15 to 2018/19, Canada increased education spending in public schools beyond what was necessary to account for changes in enrollment and prices.” , concludes the study.

“This means that there has been a real increase in spending per student in public schools in Canada… contrary to the general perception that election spending in public schools has been reduced.

“Our results indicate that compensation remains the largest and most expensive aspect of education spending and has contributed the most to the growth in total education spending in Canada. Capital spending has also seen a substantial increase over the years. “