Six new colleges will likely be constructed within the London space as the general public and Catholic faculty boards secured almost $267 million in funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Schooling.
The London District Catholic College Board (LDSCB) bought $173 million to construct three colleges, together with a brand new $100-million highschool in north London, an elementary faculty in southwest London and one other highschool in St. Thomas.
The Thames Valley District College Board (TVDSB) has acquired $93.4 million to construct three elementary colleges in southwest London, north London and Thamesford.
All public elementary colleges and the north London Catholic highschool can even have 88-space licensed little one care centres. A funding breakdown of every faculty board and its anticipated pupil inhabitants could be discovered on the backside of this story.
The London District Catholic College Board is Ontario’s quickest rising Catholic faculty board because it sees record-high pupil enrolment, including as much as greater than 27,000 college students within the 2024-2025 faculty yr. (Isha Bhargava/CBC)
With record-high enrolment, the London-area Catholic faculty board is the quickest rising in Ontario, and officers are “thrilled” with the funding that may assist accommodate extra college students, LDCSB’s director of schooling, Vince Romeo, stated in a information launch.
“We proceed to be centered on the wants of our college students, and it reveals. We’re breaking pupil enrollment figures annually, and we proceed to welcome new workers to our system every day,” stated Romeo.
LDSCB added greater than 1,500 college students this yr for a complete of 27,500, together with hiring greater than 1,500 workers lately, officers stated.
Final fall, each faculty boards requested the province for 10 new colleges and an addition to an current faculty as they have been managing the pressure of an rising pupil inhabitants.
Building tasks underway
On the time, the Catholic board requested for about $300 million in capital funding for 4 new elementary and two new excessive colleges. The Thames Valley board sought greater than $130 million to fund 4 new elementary colleges and a 207 pupil addition to West Nissouri Public College in Thorndale.
The Catholic board opened St. Gabriel Elementary College in northwest London this month, with elementary colleges in northeast London and the Komoka-Kilworth space within the planning phases and a brand new highschool underneath development. LDCSB additionally added 130 new portables during the last three faculty years, together with 50 for the 2024-2025 faculty yr.
The Thames Valley District College Board’s workplaces at 1250 Dundas St. in London, Ont., pictured on Sep. 9, 2024. (Alessio Donnini/CBC)
This newest funding from the province is a component of a bigger $1.3 billion funding that may create greater than 25,000 pupil areas and greater than 1,600 new licensed daycares at 23 colleges throughout Ontario.
TVDSB now has 10 faculty development tasks underway that may assist meet the wants of the area’s rising communities, officers stated in a information launch on Monday.
“This funding means households can entry colleges nearer to dwelling, within the communities the place they stay,” stated Invoice Tucker, TVDSB’s interim director of schooling. “That is about greater than new buildings, it is about guaranteeing our college students and households really feel supported and related as they develop and thrive in these neighbourhoods.”
How a lot will every new faculty value?
Thames Valley District College Board:
Southwest London elementary faculty: $43.6 million for 934 college students. Thamesford elementary faculty: $23.5 million for 479 college students from junior kindergarten to Grade 4. North Central London elementary faculty: $26.3 million to accommodate 514 college students.
London District Catholic College Board:
North London Secondary College: $100.5 million for 1,999 college students. Southwest London Elementary College: $31 million for 655 college students. St. Thomas Secondary College: $41.6 million for 826 college students.
