TORONTO, Ont. – There is growing support for the minority Liberal government’s plan to push for a wage freeze for Ontario’s teachers.

The York Catholic District School Board has passed a motion, Wednesday, indicating its intention to sign the memorandum of understanding reached between the Board and the Ministry of Education, joining the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and the Toronto District School Board.

The motion comes less than a week before Premier Dalton McGuinty’s early recall of the legislature at Queen’s Park, set for Monday.

“The ‘Putting Students First Act’ will save the province $2-billion, will avert an expenditure of $473-million, and at the same time, ensures that you don’t take our foot off the pedal of student achievement,” said Education Minister Laurel Broten.

The agreement would prevent an automatic rollover of teacher contracts, which are due to expire on Aug. 31, 2012. The rollover would have cost $473-million.

Broten said the agreement also means “that we continue to see progress in our schools, that we roll out full day kindergarten [and] keep our class sizes small.”

Conservative leader Tim Hudak has hinted he is willing to help pass it, but has not committed to it.

“In my approach on these things is if you get half a loaf, you take it, and then you press for more. I think we need to go farther, in a cross-board wage freeze [for the entire public sector] as opposed to these one-offs,” he said.

The Liberals need the support from at least one other provincial party in order to pass the act next week.