Ontario proposes $750 annual classroom-supplies fund for elementary homeroom teachers starting in September 2026

Ontario says it will introduce a new Classroom Supplies Fund in September 2026 that would give each elementary school homeroom teacher $750 per school year to buy classroom supplies. The province said the program would be part of its 2026 budget, scheduled for release March 26, 2026.

For families and schools across Northeast Ontario, the program could affect how everyday classroom items are purchased by giving teachers a way to order supplies directly rather than paying out of pocket and waiting for reimbursement.

Under the plan outlined in the March 11 news release, homeroom teachers would use a new provincial website to order supplies, with materials delivered to their schools. Teachers would receive a “Classroom Supplies Card” directing them to the website and providing instructions on how to access it.

The province said the website would offer a grade-by-grade selection of commonly used classroom items. Examples listed in the release include writing supplies, notebooks, calculators, chalk, arts and crafts materials, tissues and paper towels.

Premier Doug Ford said the fund is intended to give teachers access to supplies “without forcing them to cover the costs themselves or wait to be reimbursed.”

Education Minister Paul Calandra said, “many teachers have been paying out of pocket for supplies.” He also said that while school boards receive funding for classroom resources, the province has “not always seen those dollars consistently reach every classroom.”

The province said input from elementary teachers and school boards will inform what supplies are available through the online ordering system.

The government has not said what role school boards would play in administering the program or when the ordering website would be available ahead of the September 2026 start date.