Sample Letter

Take action and write to your MLA about cuts to public education.

Almost every year for a decade or more, many BC school districts have been forced to make cuts to compensate for provincial funding that has not kept pace with rising costs and new mandates, such as fullday kindergarten. Where enrolment has declined, cuts have exceeded enrolment losses, leading to reduced educational services and supports for public school students.  

A flawed provincial funding formula has steadily eroded the ability of BC’s public schools to help students achieve their individual potential and prepare to be successful students in the 21st century. This growing gap has serious consequences for all British Columbians. It threatens the health of our economy, social stability and presents serious long-term human and monetary  costs that far exceed the short-term savings of failing to maintain a strong public education system.

  • To find your MLA’s mail and e-mail address click here. Follow up your email with a call asking what s/he intends to do.
  • Send copies of your letters to local media and to others in your community, urging them to do the same.
  • If you start a letter-writing campaign in your community, please let us know so that we can help promote your efforts and encourage others to join in.

Here is a sample letter that you can use ‘as is’ or as a starting point for your own letter. Simply copy and paste the text below into an email or document and edit to personalize it:

Dear MLA

I am writing to express my concern about the ongoing underfunding of public education and the long-term damage this is doing to children, to communities and to the future prosperity of British Columbia. 

Boards of Education are required to balance their budgets and be able to meet the educational needs of all children.  They cannot do this unless the Provincial government acts in a fiscally-responsible manner and fully covers all costs of operating public schools, including inflation and the costs of complying with new mandates and requirements. 

The provincial government is responsible for increasing costs in the following areas:

  • Employee pension increases
  • New Carbon Tax and carbon offset charges
  • Increased MSP and WCB premiums
  • Provincially-legislated class size limits
  • Fullday kindergarten

Additionally, the Provincial government must inject additional funding to close the gap created by a decade of underfunding, which has severely strained the functional capacity of our public schools.

Investing in public education is one of the most important things that we can do as a province to create a bright future for all British Columbians.  I urge you to ask Premier Clark to increase funding for public education now.

Yours truly,

Name/ Address:

cc: Premier Christy Clark