Construction has kicked off on a $70.1-million Catholic high school and community hub in Wasaga Beach, which has long been the largest municipality in Ontario without a local secondary school.
What makes this project stand out isn’t just the new facility itself. It’s the innovative approach that local leaders took to move the idea from planning to actual construction.
Instead of waiting for the provincial education system to push forward a standard school proposal, Wasaga Beach council, the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, and private partners crafted a community-centered plan that utilized existing municipal resources.
This strategy helped speed up provincial funding approvals and has led to construction beginning on the school and community hub, which is expected to open its doors in September 2028.
“Council knew our kids deserved access to high school here at home, and we took a different approach to help make that happen,” explained Wasaga Beach Mayor Brian Smith. “By collaborating directly with the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board and the Province of Ontario, we advanced a smarter, more practical proposal that gets shovels in the ground and doors open sooner.
“This project is a powerful example of what can be achieved when municipal, provincial, education and private-sector partners work together to put students and families first.”
The new campus will be located at 486 River Rd. W., next to the Wasaga Stars Arena and Wasaga Beach Public Library. By placing the school alongside existing public amenities, municipal leaders argued they could enhance taxpayer value while minimizing redundancy and creating a versatile community space.
The town council was determined to find a new path forward after years of unsuccessful attempts to secure a local high school.
In 2023, feeling frustrated by decades of efforts that had not resulted in securing a high school, council instructed town staff to explore fresh avenues for attracting provincial investment. Working closely with the Catholic school board and local developer Far Sight Homes, they identified a suitable site, created an actionable proposal, and garnered support at the provincial level.
The town representatives then met with provincial officials during both the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference as well as Rural Ontario Municipal Association gatherings to promote their proposal. Their efforts paid off when funding for the project was announced by the province in May 2024.
The K-12 Catholic School and Community Hub Wasaga Beach K-12 School Status Award Value$57.3MLocation486 River Rd W, Wasaga Beach ONSector Public – State/Provincial Type Educational · New Construction Data as of September 8, 2026View Project Page → stands as one of Ontario’s major educational infrastructure projects currently underway. This development will accommodate 1,008 students along with 49 licensed childcare spaces.
Some key features include a 300-seat community theater, track-and-field facilities, plus collaborative learning spaces designed for both educational purposes and community programs.
This initiative is backed by $67.3 million in provincial funding along with an additional $2.8 million contribution from the Town of Wasaga Beach aimed at enhancing theatre offerings for local performances, cultural events, and student productions. The establishment of this school hub was made feasible due to significant land donated by Far Sight Homes.
The campus will also offer post-secondary education opportunities through partnerships with Canadore College and Lakehead University.
Kimberly Dixon, director of education for Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board stated that this project symbolizes a new way schools can integrate into expanding communities.
“This project reimagines what a school can be,” she said. “Together with Town of Wasaga Beach officials we have developed a model combining education with child care services along with recreation facilities all within one single community hub.”
“This innovative partnership will benefit students as well as families in Wasaga Beach while serving as an example for how growing communities across Ontario might tackle future educational development.”
For families in this area, there’ll be immediate benefits once the school opens since secondary students currently have to travel outside their municipality for schooling-often spending considerable time commuting by bus.
The new facility will enable students to learn closer to home while allowing them greater participation in sports activities as well as arts programs plus clubs right within their own neighborhood.
This initiative also reflects how quickly Wasaga Beach is growing along with its changing demographics. As one of Ontario’s fastest-growing towns it has been striving hard towards expanding local services along with infrastructure capable enough meet rising population needs.
The upcoming high school represents only part of these efforts; additionally there’s over $59.3 million pledged by province earmarked toward establishing another high school through Simcoe County District School Board which would provide an extra 1,145 student spots.
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