Ontario Sued Over Funding of Catholic Schools

The case says that the use of general public funds for Catholic schools violates charter rights to equality.

Toronto retiree Reva Landau has filed suit against Ontario over the issue of Catholic school funding. Landau told Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice that giving Catholic schools any more money than strictly required by the Constitution is discriminatory and limits her charter rights to equality. In her suit, she is asking for an order eliminating government aid to Catholic high schools and restricting funds for Grades 1-8 to the aid available in 1867. This would mean that instead of using general public funds for Catholic schools, the government could only use property taxes from Catholics who declare their support of separate schools and from wholly Catholic-owned businesses. Though the Supreme Court has already ruled twice on the issue, Landau is hopeful the court might reconsider in light of a 1997 constitutional amendment that saw Quebec opt out of religious-based school organization.