Ontario reaches tentative deal with Catholic teachers, ensuring no strikes

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the province has reached a tentative contract deal with the province’s Catholic teachers.

He says it means no province-wide job action or strikes for the next three years.

Officials say the structure of the tentative deal for the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association is similar to those agreed to with the other major teachers’ unions, which sent outstanding matters such as salary to binding arbitration.

They are the last of the major teachers’ unions to reach a deal and Lecce says it is delivering peace and stability to students.

The agreement with OECTA comes after more than 18 months of talks.

OECTA members earlier voted 97 per cent in favour of giving their union a strike mandate.