Public school boards in Toronto and the York Region have announced steep price increases for annual community permit fees, forcing local groups and sports teams to evaluate whether they can afford to keep running their programs.
Permit Fee Hikes Force Sports Groups to Reconsider Bookings
Simon Rogers has spent 17 years booking Saturday pickup basketball games at Central Technical School through the Toronto District School Board. This year, however, the annual permit cost for his group nearly tripled, jumping from $3,400 to $9,818. Rogers explained that the increase largely stems from updated caretaking fees, which now charge his team for an hour before and an hour after their permit time, alongside the game itself. The cost per game has risen from roughly $95 to $272, or $18 per person, according to Rogers. Emma Moynihan, senior communications adviser for the board, stated that historically, weekend facility rental fees were intended to recover full operating costs, but fees have not kept pace. Moynihan explained that board staff previously pulled hundreds of thousands of dollars from other areas of the TDSB to offset these costs, a process that cannot be continued.
Titans Volleyball, a non-profit organization running house and club leagues for more than 50 years, is facing similar financial pressure. Executive director Blair Mackintosh said the group previously held 17 annual TDSB permits for over 800 youth, paying about $50,000 in 2024. Following a TDSB audit of its A1 subsidy category clients, the board moved Titans to the B1 category and lowered its subsidy, citing belief that the organization generated over $300,000 in revenue. Mackintosh noted that despite raising player fees by $40 to $280 for the year, the organization did not generate that revenue, as most participants do not pay to play. In 2025, Mackintosh was told permit costs would rise to $300,000 with two weeks’ notice, forcing the group to close some programs and relocate others to different boards. Furthermore, Mackintosh stated that Toronto Catholic District School Board permits have ballooned to about $15,000 from a couple thousand dollars, reflecting annual cost-recovery updates according to a TCDSB spokesperson.
Did You Know? The Toronto District School Board’s permit application portal for the academic year experienced significant delays over the summer, closing until July 28 instead of its usual June 1 deadline because the board was under provincial supervision.
York Region Board Adjusts Rates Amid Declining Enrolment
The York Region District School Board has similarly raised permit prices to $35 an hour per participant, up from $5. Licinio Miguelo, a spokesperson for the board, stated that the change is due to declining enrolment and that the board no longer has the flexibility to subsidize permit fees. Miguelo explained that permit fees have been adjusted to reflect actual costs to ensure funds intended for students and classrooms are properly allocated. Last month, YorkRegion.com reported that a local basketball organization saw its annual bill for a Markham high school gym on Saturday mornings climb from about $6,600 to nearly $27,000 for the 2026-27 period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Toronto District School Board permit prices increasing?
The TDSB raised prices to correspond with an inflationary increase of 2.4 per cent and to cover the true cost of caretaking during weekend permits, which board officials say were previously subsidized by funds pulled from other areas of the budget.
How have caretaking fees impacted individual permit holders?
Permit holders are now billed for an hour before and an hour after their scheduled time, in addition to game time, driving up individual rental costs significantly.
Why did the York Region District School Board raise its rates?
The YRDSB increased its hourly fees to $35 per participant due to declining enrolment, stating that the board no longer has the financial flexibility to subsidize community permits.
What steps can community groups take when rising permit fees threaten the survival of their local sports programs?
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