Ontario announces $67.4M for London and area schools
Travis Dolynny | CBC News | Posted: January 24, 2018 9:32 PM | Last Updated: January 25, 2018
The funding will go towards 3 new schools, 2 additions and 2 retrofit projects
The Ontario Liberals announced a cash injection of $67.4 million for new schools and upgrades for London and the surrounding area Wednesday.
London North Centre MPP Deb Matthews joined trustees from three area school boards at Masonville Public School to announce an investment in three new schools, two additions and two retrofit projects.
"All in all, it will be 2,300 students going to school in a modern environment, close to home," said Matthews, adding more licensed child care spaces will be included in the building projects.
"I know people are going to want to get going as quickly as possible. The need is great, we have 17 portables here at Masonville, so I think people are going to want to get these done as quickly as possible."
Construction on the projects is set to begin in the spring.
In total, the investment will accommodate 2,300 students and include 6 new child care rooms with 112 new licensed child care spaces.
"I think it's great. The Thames Valley board has been waiting for some of these announcements," said TVDSB chair Matt Reid.
"The communities of Masonville and especially Summerside in Southeast London, they've been desperate for funding in order to build a new school in Summerside and to get an expansion here, so we're thrilled. This is a good day for Thames Valley."
Reid says residents of the Summerside community will rejoice at the news that $14-million is being invested in a new school for the community. Many students from that southeast neighbourhood are currently being bused to other schools in the city.
"It was a little surreal, to tell you the truth," said Don Campbell, president of the Summerside Community Club and a father of three. "This is something I've personally been involved in over the last five years now, and to finally be here is pretty amazing."
Campbell says they expect the school to be completed to coincide with a new community centre that will house an arena and public library some time in 2020.
Who gets what
Thames Valley District School Board
- $14 million for a new school in Southeast London for 500 students and 88 new child care spaces
- $6 million for an addition at Masonville Public School
- $3.7 million for an addition at Tweedsmuir Public School
London District Catholic School Board
- $10.5 million for new school in North London for over 500 students
- $3.2 million for a retrofit at St. Bernadette's School
Lambton Kent District School Board
- $27.4 million for a new school in the Forest area for 1,024 students and 24 additional child care spaces
- $2.6 million for a retrofit at Tecumseh Public School in Chatham
The funding announcement is part of a new government investment to build 39 new schools across the province.
Child care spaces have also been made a priority. The funding covers 40 major renovation projects province-wide to make room for approximately 2,700 licensed child care spaces for children under the age of four.
The Ontario government is slated to invest a total of $784 million in 79 new and renovated schools across the province in 2018.