Ontario NDP asks auditor general to investigate Staples education contract

CANADA Ontario NDP asks auditor general to investigate Staples education contract By Isaac Callan & Colin D'Mello Global News Posted September 21, 2026 11:17 am Updated September 21, 2026 11:37 am 3 min read RELATED: Ontario teachers having issues with school supplies portal – Sep 1, 2026 LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is asking the auditor general to open an investigation into the government’s decision to give Staples the contract to sell supplies to elementary school teachers. In a letter sent Monday morning, Stiles raised questions about the value of a $66 million contract the government gave to the company to set up a portal for teachers to spend up to $750 each on equipment for their classroom. “There are serious and growing concerns about the decision to make Staples the sole vendor for the new $750 classroom supplies fund, including the availability and pricing of supplies on the Staples portal, delays in the shipment of supplies, and delays and barriers to access for teachers who should be able to make purchases,” she wrote in her letter, requesting the probe. After the portal was set up, some teachers began sharing reports that products were more expensive on the portal or flagging non-classoom products available for purchase. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT “That’s to be expected, Staples is a corporation, they’re in it to make a profit, ” David Mastin, president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, previously told Global News. Get breaking Montreal news Get breaking Montreal news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story. SIGN UP FOR BREAKING MONTREAL NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra has acknowledged issues with the portal but said a core selection of classroom supplies was available at the lowest possible price. “If they look at the products that they asked for — the 200 products that they said had to be on there — you will not find a cheaper price, I am very, very confident of that,” he previously said. “I’m excited by this, teachers are excited by this. But it’s not meant to be perfect from day one, but it will get there.” Calandra’s office emphasized the…