Canada issued an order-in-council to fund church-run schools on a per-capita basis and it introduced regulations to prevent "over-expenditure." As a result, schools' funding decreased. The goal of the government was to compel the churches to be more economical. The government also sought to assert control over Indigenous education, which some government employees felt was being eroded by church missions. In reality, the per capita funds were not sufficient to meet the needs of students. Principals responded by admitting more students than the schools had been designed to accommodate, resulting in overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.