Ontario takes control of school board over finances, launches investigations into others [Video]

The Ford government has appointed a supervisor to take control of an Ontario school board after controversy around its spending and is launching fresh investigations into three other boards.

Newly appointed Education Minister Paul Calandra announced a series of interventions at school boards on Wednesday afternoon, saying he would increase transparency after a series of “failures” by local trustees.

The government said it would be appointing a supervisor to the Thames Valley District School Board and forcing the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board to submit a financial and governance plan.

The moves come because of reports that found “extremely poor judgment by the school boards in the use of public funds,” the government said in a news release.

Trustees at the Thames Valley board made headlines last year after an off-site retreat to the Blue Jays stadium hotel that cost nearly $40,000. The Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic board undertook a trip to Italy, which …