← School Trustee — Trillium Lakelands DSB

Elizabeth Purcell

Candidate for School Trustee — Trillium Lakelands DSB

In their own words

Facebook — Elizabeth Purcell on Facebook, verified, opens in a new tab

Where they stand

Every candidate in this race is shown against the same 3 issues, in the same order, whether or not we’ve found something for each one. Why we do it this way.

School services, programs and busing

Will the programs and services my child depends on still be there?

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

Ran because before- and after-school care was cancelled at her daughter's school, and found the same thing happening elsewhere.

Says she did not know who her local trustee was before this summer.
Says families were left trying to fit work, transportation and childcare together with few alternatives.
Replying to a comment on her own page, she said the province mandates each board to provide the program through legislation, and that the third-party company chosen by the board ceased operating in multiple schools with no backup plan. That is her account; SmarterVote has not independently verified it.
Says there may be no resolution soon and that her own family is living it.

“Multiple schools in our area were facing the same situation. I reached out to our local Trustees looking for help and came away with the impression that the extent of the issue wasn't really on their radar — and there didn't seem to be a clear path toward a solution.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell campaign page — Why I decided to run for School Board Trustee · September 12, 2026

Ran after the before-and-after-school care program at her daughter's school was cancelled, leaving families scrambling; promises to make sure significant family impacts are recognized, brought forward and addressed as quickly as possible.

Decided to run after the before-and-after-school care program at her daughter's school was cancelled.
Says families were left scrambling with few alternatives.
Reached out to local trustees and felt the issue was not on their radar.
Promises significant family impacts will be recognized, brought forward and addressed quickly.

“What changed that was the cancellation of the before and after school care program at my daughter's school. Like many parents who rely on that care, I felt helpless, lost and stressed. Families were suddenly left trying to figure out how to make work schedules, transportation and childcare fit together for the coming school year, with very few alternatives. I can't promise that, as Trustee, I could prevent every problem or always produce an immediate solution. What I can promise is that when an issue has a significant impact on families in our communities, I will do everything I can to make sure it is recognized, brought forward and addressed as quickly as possible. Families should never be left wondering whether anyone is paying attention.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: Why I decided to run (Sept 11, 2026) · September 11, 2026

The biggest challenge is the gap between what schools are asked to do and available resources; cites the FAO projecting education spending about $900M short by 2027–28; trustees must target limited resources and advocate to the province.

Calls the resource gap the most significant challenge facing public education.
Cites the Financial Accountability Office: education spending projected about $900M short by 2027–28.
Notes Trillium Lakelands has shown strong fiscal responsibility.
Says trustees must direct limited resources where they have the greatest impact and advocate to the province for adequate funding.

“I believe one of the most significant challenges facing public education is the growing gap between what we are asking our schools to do and the resources available to do it. Ontario's Financial Accountability Office projects that, by 2027–28, provincial education spending will be approximately $900 million short of what would be required simply to maintain existing service levels. Trustees need to ensure limited resources are directed where they have the greatest impact on students, while also advocating strongly to the Province for adequate and sustainable education funding.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: ETFO Q&A part 1 — biggest challenge (Sept 15, 2026) · September 15, 2026

Provincial funding is not keeping pace; greater investment needed in special education and EAs, mental health and behavioural supports, and staffing; funding must reflect rural-board realities.

Says provincial funding is not keeping pace with student and school needs.
Calls for investment in special education and educational assistants, mental health and behavioural supports, and classroom staffing.
Says funding must recognize rural-board realities: geography, transportation, smaller community schools.

“No, I do not believe provincial funding is keeping pace with the needs of students and schools. Greater investment is particularly needed in special education and educational assistants, mental health and behavioural supports, and classroom staffing. Provincial funding must also better recognize the realities of rural boards, where geography, transportation and maintaining smaller community schools create unique challenges and costs.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: ETFO Q&A part 2 — provincial funding (Sept 17, 2026) · September 17, 2026

Think we’ve got this wrong?

What a trustee can actually do

What is this job, and how do I reach the person doing it?

This candidate has spoken about this issue more than once. Each statement is shown with its own source.

Professional background in budget formulation, policy creation, legislation interpretation, public communication and program evaluation — the core responsibilities trustees are tasked with; parent of a TLDSB student hearing both the successes and the challenges from families.

Background: budget formulation, policy creation, legislation interpretation, public communication, program evaluation.
Calls those the core responsibilities trustees are tasked with.
Parent of a TLDSB student; hears successes and challenges from families.
Believes those voices deserve to be heard at the Board table.

“My professional background includes budget formulation, policy creation, legislation interpretation, public communication, and program development and evaluation - the core responsibilities Trustees are tasked with. I'm also a parent of a child in the Trillium Lakelands District School Board. Through my own experience as a parent, and through conversations with friends and other parents of school-aged children, I hear both the successes and the challenges facing our local schools. I believe those voices deserve to be heard at the Board table.”

(several paragraphs)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: About me (Aug 31, 2026) · August 31, 2026

Says recent provincial changes have limited trustees, but the job of being a bridge to families remains.

Acknowledges the role has changed and that provincial changes placed new limits on trustee authority.
Says a trustee will not be able to fix every problem, and does not claim otherwise.
Commits to making sure issues with significant impact on families are recognised, brought forward and addressed as quickly as possible.
Says she arrived at this as a parent who hit a problem and started asking questions, not through political ambition.

“Trustees are a bridge between our students, families and communities and the Board that serves them. That bridge only works if it is visible, accessible and engaged.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell campaign page — Why I decided to run for School Board Trustee · September 12, 2026

Trustees must operate within provincial legislation, but that does not require silence when provincial decisions harm students or schools; she would publicly and persistently advocate for policy and funding changes.

Says trustees must operate within provincial legislation.
Says that does not require silence when provincial decisions have harmful consequences.
Would publicly advocate for policy and funding changes — informed, constructive, clear and persistent.
Says being accountable means being prepared to respectfully disagree with the province.

“But that obligation does not require silence when a provincial policy or funding decision is having unintended or harmful consequences for students, employees or our local schools. Would I be prepared to publicly advocate for changes in provincial policy or funding? Yes. That advocacy should be informed, evidence-based and constructive, but it should also be clear and persistent.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: ETFO Q&A part 4 — advocating vs the province (Sept 20, 2026) · September 20, 2026

Trustees are a bridge between students, families and communities and the Board — a bridge that only works if visible, accessible and engaged; families deserve someone who listens, asks hard questions and drives for solutions.

Frames trustees as a bridge between students, families, communities and the Board.
Says that bridge only works if visible, accessible and engaged.
Says families deserve someone who listens, explains the process, asks difficult questions and drives for solutions.

“Trustees are a bridge between our students, families and communities and the Board that serves them. That bridge only works if it is visible, accessible and engaged. They deserve someone who will listen, help them understand the process, ask the difficult questions, make sure their concerns are heard, and be driven to find solutions.”

(a page or more)

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: Why I decided to run (Sept 11, 2026) · September 11, 2026

Think we’ve got this wrong?

Student wellbeing and special education

Are students supported, and are the ones who need more getting it?

Protecting employees and supporting students with complex needs are not competing objectives — both must be done; questions whether unreported incidents skew board data; trustees must advocate to the province where resources fall short.

Says protecting employees and supporting students with complex needs are not competing objectives.
Calls for partnership between schools, families and professionals.
Questions whether incident data understates the real picture when reporting is incomplete.
Says trustees must advocate clearly and persistently to the province for adequate resources.

Show their words & source (a page or more)

“Protecting employees and supporting those students are not competing objectives - we need to do both. If incidents are only captured when formal documentation is completed, we need to ask whether some incidents are going unreported and whether the data we rely on reflects the real experience of students and staff. Students deserve safe places to learn, and the people who support them deserve safe places to work.”

Source: Elizabeth Purcell's own Facebook post: ETFO Q&A part 3 — school safety (Sept 18, 2026) · September 18, 2026

Think we got something wrong?

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