Role of a Trustee & the 2022 Municipal Election

The 2022 Ontario Municipal and School Board Elections are Monday, October 24, 2022. If you are interested in learning more about the role of school board trustee or if are interested in running for election as a school board trustee, please take some time to review the information on this page.

The deadline for filing nomination papers at the local office of the municipal clerk is Friday, August 19, 2022.

School Board Trustees - Who Are They? Why Are They Important?

School board trustees are the members of a school board. They are locally-elected representatives of the public, and they are the community's advocate for public education. They are required to carry out their responsibilities in a manner that assists the board in fulfilling its duties under the Education Act.

A trustee's role is to maintain a focus on student achievement, well-being and equity and to participate in making decisions that benefit the board's entire jurisdiction while representing the interests of their constituents. Trustees must also communicate the views and decisions of the board back to their constituents.

The school trustee is a member of a team. Only the team (the board of trustees), not an individual trustee, has the authority to make decisions or take action on behalf of a school board. A school board must place all students first when making any decision. Trustees are required to uphold the implementation of any board resolution after it is passed by the board.

School Board Trustees ARE...

School Board Trustees ARE…
• Members of a district school board who are locally-elected representatives of the public and responsible for complying with the board’s code of conduct. Individuals represent their communities and all groups within the community.
• Responsible for overseeing the student achievement and well-being focus of the education system as related to the Strategic Plan while overseeing a budget of approximately $200 million.
• Responsible for supporting the Director of Education and their staff who handle the day-to-day operations of the board, while providing input on decisions that affect our public education system.

School Board Trustees ARE NOT...

School Board Trustees ARE NOT...

• Individuals interested in only one topic or coming to solve a personal issue.
• Individuals who work in isolation. They are the community’s advocates for public education that work as a collective to uphold the implementation of any board resolution after it is passed by the board.
• Expected to work full-time but are required to attend meetings (often at night) and consult with parents, students, and community members to bring their concerns to the attention of the board.

• Creating or running the operational aspects of the board.

• Being clouded by specific groups (it is important to remain neutral).

Can Anyone be a School Board Trustee?

A person is qualified to be elected as a school board trustee if the person is qualified to vote in a school board election and is a resident of the school board district.

When filing a nomination a candidate must meet all of the following requirements:

a resident within the jurisdiction of the board;
a supporter* of the board;
a Canadian citizen;
at least 18 years old;
not legally prohibited from voting; and
not disqualified by any legislation from holding school board office.

(*"Supporter" refers to the individual's support for one of the four publicly funded school systems. A list of supporters for each system is kept by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.)

The following persons are disqualified from being elected to school board office:

any person not eligible to vote for the school board;
an employee of any school board, or clerk, deputy clerk, treasurer or deputy treasurer of a municipality within the jurisdiction of a board, unless they take an unpaid leave of absence before being nominated, and resign, if elected to the office; (See additional note below)
a judge of any court;
a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, a Senator or a member of the House of Commons; or
an inmate of a penal or correctional institution under sentence of imprisonment.

Note: An employee of a school board who wishes to run for office on any school board must take an unpaid leave of absence prior to being nominated. If elected, the employee must resign. A person may not be employed by one school board and hold office on a different school board. A clerk, treasurer, deputy clerk, deputy treasurer of a municipality wishing to run for office on a school board must also take unpaid leave prior to being nominated and resign if elected. An employer is required to grant a leave of absence.

What is the Time Commitment?

The term of office is four years (fall 2022-2026). ADSB Trustees take part in two meetings per month throughout the school year. Duties also include the appointment of a trustee to various committees. Time commitments will vary, but an average of 15 hours per week on activities associated with the role is common. School board trustees also have opportunities to take part in professional development events, both local and provincially.

For a more complete review of the time commitments for a school board trustee please follow this link.

How Do I Declare I am Running for School Board Trustee

You can get nomination papers from the clerk of your local municipality. They are also available online at www.ontario.ca/municipalelections. You must file your nomination paper, signed with original signatures, in person or designate an agent to file on your behalf. It cannot be faxed, mailed, or e-mailed. Proof of identity and qualifications must be shown and a nomination filing fee ($100 for school trustee) must be paid at the time of filing. You can file your nomination paper at the local office of the municipal clerk until August 19, 2022.

The Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) provides additional detailed and helpful information on their website including:

What Do Trustees Do
Becoming a Trustee
Nomination Process
Trustee Candidate FAQs

Please follow this link to access this additional information about the 2022 Ontario Municipal & School Board Elections.