Potentially costly B.C. court ruling on teachers on hold… for now

VANCOUVER – A judge has granted the B.C. government’s request to put on hold a costly court decision related to its contract with the province’s teachers until an appeal is heard.

The government asked the B.C. Appeal Court to temporarily stay the ruling issued last month, which struck down legislation that removed class size and composition from the teachers’ contract.

The lower court ruling also permitted the teachers’ union to distribute copies of its final argument, which contained references to sealed cabinet documents.

The Appeal Court has granted stays to both aspects of the ruling until the appeal is heard, which is expected by May or June.

Government lawyers had argued that allowing the ruling to stand would create chaos as school boards scrambled to hire teachers and find millions of dollars.

The B.C. Supreme Court decision also found the government tried to provoke a strike by teachers and awarded the union $2 million.