The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board says it’s seeing a shortage of staff in all areas.

Not just teachers, mental health experts, and support staff.

Chair of the board of trustees Roger Griffiths says they have a hard time attracting employees.

“It’s a lifestyle in a lot of cases to be in the north and you have to enjoy the outdoors,” Griffiths told Ontario’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

“We really, really need home grown professionals.  Our students need them.  We need specialists…we need pediatrics…we speech and language and we need mental health experts especially.”

Griffiths says part of the issue is financial, because the cost of living in northern Ontario is more expensive.

“Recruitment and retention of qualified staff in our school board.  We’re constantly having a challenge recruiting staff in every type of job in our board.  It’s a real challenge, and part of it can be financial.”

Griffiths also told the committee that with more than 50 percent of the KPDSB’s student population self-identified as First Nation, Metis or Inuit, the work in supporting truth and reconciliation is a pillar in the school board’s new strategic plan.