At the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, the NLSD had 3,742 students enrolled and employed 658 staff, including 223 teachers. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

staffing issues

NLSD short 33 teachers as start of school year nears

Aug 20, 2025 | 3:41 PM

The Northern Lights School Division (NLSD) is short 33 teachers as the academic year is set to begin in less than two weeks.

While a teacher shortage has been a continuous issue for Northern Lights for many years now, the problem has worsened. The school division is short about 15 teachers at any given time, so the 33 currently needed is more than double the normal average.

Most of the teaching openings are located in La Loche, Pinehouse and Sandy Bay.

“This year has been an exceptional year in that there were additional teaching positions available across the province, so that certainly exacerbated things for us up here because we are seeing some of our folks leave and moving closer to home for those who come from far away,” said NLSD Director of Education Jason Young.

“Why is it so high again this year? I guess that is a trend we are asking ourselves as well, looking at some of our initiatives and what we can do to address that concern.”

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In recent years, the school division has begun more aggressively attempting to recruit teachers. For instance, signing bonuses up to $10,000 are available, as well as all-inclusive rental agreements, an increased moving allowance, a new teacher allowance of $300, and a comprehensive benefits package and pension plan.

The NLSD also hired a professional recruiter, who liaises with other agencies, divisions, and departments to build and manage relationships with key stakeholder groups, attends and presents at job fairs, along with host open-house events promoting the division at universities, colleges and other post-secondary institutions.

“I think certainly working with government would be something we have been doing,” Young remarked.

“Maybe we need to have a more intentional, deliberate conversations that are focused on addressing the concerns we have up here. That might need to be a dialogue we have with them on a more frequent basis to sort of ask how we are doing and maybe check in when them to say, ‘This is what we might need, this is what we think might address some of the issues.’ I think that’s something we can be doing with them is working more closely to address the needs in our system for sure.”

There are unique challenges when living in Northern Saskatchewan such as a higher cost of living and a shortage of affordable housing. Young explained while historically La Ronge tended to be an exception to that, they are seeing the needs are just as great in La Ronge now too.

“We are seeing that housing crunch in La Ronge as well from the division’s perspective,” he said.

“It is making it more challenging for us to recruit teachers, so that’s a need in our system. Those are ongoing conversations we would like to have with the ministry to look at ways in which we can address teacher recruitment and ways we can address housing in Northern Saskatchewan.”

The Saskatchewan NDP called attention to the staffing shortage and need for housing in a media release issued on Wednesday. Matt Love, the education shadow minister for the NDP, said school boards across the province have been forced to do more with less year after year, noting the impact of those cuts is particularly devastating in the remote North.

He’s calling for an emergency plan to address the teacher and housing shortage.

“The Sask. Party has had 18 years to properly support teachers and students — instead, education in our province is last in the country,” Love said.

“We need to ensure housing is available and accessible for teachers wanting to head North to teach students.”

At the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, the NLSD had 3,742 students enrolled and employed 658 staff, including 223 teachers.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com