By Angie Sullivan
User fees for York Region District School Board (YRDSB) permits have risen by more than 1,000 per cent in some cases, prompting parents and sports clubs to question the future of local sports programs.
Steep increases in YRDSB rental fees have led some Georgina sports organizations to cancel programs, reduce gym time and look for facilities elsewhere.
Georgina Riptide Volleyball Club President Derek Shank said some weekday permits have increased by approximately 700 per cent, while weekend permits have risen by as much as 1,200 per cent.
“One of the most extreme examples was a Sunday permit at Keswick High School. We previously paid just under $3,000 for the season for the three-court gym space we were using from approximately 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The equivalent permit this season came back at approximately $37,000. Even after a subsidy was applied, it was still $35,000,” said Shank. “We simply could not accept that.”
Last year, Riptide operated a youth house league out of four local schools because participation had grown to approximately 83 children.
“The combined permit cost was under roughly $2,000. Under the new pricing, operating a similar schedule would have cost us approximately $14,000,” said Shank. “We cancelled those permits and consolidated the program into one Catholic board location. Our current registration is approximately 25 children.”
Licino Miguelo, spokesperson for the YRDSB, said the increases are necessary because of declining enrolment.
“With the decline in enrolment, YRDSB is no longer in a position to over-subsidize permit fees,” Miguelo said. “To ensure that funds intended for students and programs are properly allocated to support schools and classrooms, permit fees have been adjusted to reflect their actual costs. This results in permits being cost-neutral for the Board.”
Elaina Lewis, whose daughter previously played for Riptide, said the new fees are affecting families.
“The new fees for facilities are unreasonable. It really limits where and when our kids can play,” Lewis said.
An anonymous Keswick mother whose daughter plays volleyball said she believes the previous rental system had problems as well. “Clubs could book large amounts of gym space because rental prices were so low, sometimes leaving little availability for other users. If anything, this opens the market up a bit regarding what people actually need versus what they were booking.”
However, she said the higher fees could have another unintended consequence: fewer tournaments in Georgina.
“Where it does make a difference is weekend tournaments,” the Keswick mother said. “The school board has priced clubs out of hosting tournaments and getting people into the area — tourism dollars, etc.”
Riptide won’t be hosting any tournaments this season, according to Shank.
“Now, to host a tournament on Saturday it costs $4,500-$5,000 for the day. Sundays are closer to $6,500. So there won’t be any tournaments hosted anywhere in York Region this season, which means all the volleyball athletes will be travelling out of York Region to play.”
Miguelo said the rate adjustments are part of a multi-year process that began in September 2025.
“We recognize that this may be difficult for some community organizations; YRDSB remains committed to support community partnerships and will continue to support not-for-profit permit holders in exploring options,” said Miguelo.
Glenn Marais of Newmarket posted on Facebook, “As a father who has witnessed firsthand the value of accessible programming for sports and music, I am very disappointed to see the ridiculous rise in permit costs for York Region schools.”
Marais asks concerned citizens to sign a petition opposing the increases at: https://c.org/TYztNfFfzC
- Sports groups in Georgina face skyrocketing rental fees - September 21, 2026
- Wine Harvest Celebration at Georgina’s Madeira Park on September 19 - September 15, 2026
- From Royals to Sunsets: The World Through Tom Sandler’s Lens - September 9, 2026
