Fourteen of the 30 new schools announced by the Ontario Ministry of Education this week will be built in the GTA, and 11 of the 26 schools being renovated or expanded provincially are also located here.
The province is
investing $498 million in new and renovated schools this year, as well as toward 2,135 new licensed spaces for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. That’s an increase over last year’s budget, according to Lauren Tedesco, director of communications to the minister’s office. “This year is unique as well because we included childcare capital funding to build new childcare rooms which are part of the schools.”
Some of the new schools, like the Toronto District School Board’s Davisville Junior Public School, will replace out-of-date buildings on the same site, while others will be new roomier digs for smaller schools that are consolidating. The Davisville project, announced on October 26 but under discussion since at least 2010, will be funded to the tune of $14.7 million, replacing a building built in 1962. The school will host 728 elementary students and a new full-day kindergarten class.
“The boards have just been notified in the last few weeks that their projects have been approved so they will be starting construction soon,” says Tedesco. “There’s a lot of criteria to meet, but the design, the timelines and all of that is up to the school boards.”
Here’s the list of new builds and improvements that will take place in the GTA:
NEW SCHOOLS
- Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud, Mississauga, Mississauga
- Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Richmond Hill, Académie de la Moraine
- Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Oakville, ÉSP Gaétan-Gervais
- Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board, Brampton, Mount Pleasant #1
- Durham District School Board, Ajax, Mulberry Meadows PS
- Durham District School Board, Oshawa, Windfields Farm PS
- Halton Catholic District School Board, Oakville, New North Oakville ES
- Peel District School Board, Brampton, Countryside Village PS
- Peel District School Board, Brampton, Credit Valley Sub Area 3 # 1 PS
- Peel District School Board, Brampton, Mount Pleasant # 7 PS
- Toronto Catholic District School Board, Scarborough, Cardinal Newman CSS
- Toronto District School Board, Davisville, Davisville Jr PS
- York Region District School Board, Stouffville, Stouffville Southeast ES
- York Region District School Board, Thornhill, E J Sand PS
RENOVATIONS AND EXPANSIONS
- Durham Catholic District School Board, Ajax, St. James CS
- Durham District School Board, Claremont, Claremont PS
- Halton Catholic District School Board, Milton, Holy Rosary CES
- Halton District School Board, Burlington, Alton Village PS
- Halton District School Board, Milton, Craig Kielburger SS
- Peel District School Board, Brampton, Esker Lake PS
- Toronto Catholic District School Board, Downsview, St Augustine of Canterbury CS
- Toronto District School Board, Etobicoke, Norseman JMS
- Toronto District School Board, Agincourt, Terry Fox PS
- Toronto Catholic District School Board, Etobicoke, St Clement CS
- York Region District School Board, Richmond Hill, Charles Howitt PS
ADDITIONAL OF CHILD CARE FACILITIES
- Durham Catholic District School Board, Ajax, St. Josephine Bakhita CES
- Durham Catholic District School Board, Oshawa, St. Kateri Tekakwitha CES
- Durham Catholic District School Board, Pickering, Father Fenelon CES
Writer: Paul Gallant
Source: Lauren Tedesco