Premier Doug Ford mentioned earlier this month that closures could affect five managed boards, including Thames Valley.
Sep 16, 2025 • Last updated Sep 16, 2025 •
(Mike Hensen/The )
The financially struggling Thames Valley District school board is one of five boards that might face school closures, causing concern in North Middlesex where several schools could be at risk.
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Premier Doug Ford stated earlier this month that school closures might occur in five supervised boards, including Thames Valley, as part of efforts to balance the budgets of these boards.
“We are worried about our community in North Middlesex,” said Coun. Bill Irwin, who also serves on the local school advisory committee. “We’re just starting what looks like a significant housing boom that will double our community’s population in ten years.”
Eight years ago, Queen’s Park upheld a freeze on school closures established by the previous Liberal government back in 2017 after public protests over losing community schools.
At that time, around 300 Ontario schools were set to close, with approximately 100 already shut down due to low enrollment and high operating costs.
Throughout Ontario, many school boards have closed numerous schools over recent decades because of falling enrollment numbers and changes in living patterns.
“All options need to be considered, which may include some of the under-utilized schools too,” Ford mentioned during a media interview.
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The Thames Valley District school board – which serves over 83,000 students – was placed under supervision in April following an investigation by Price Waterhouse Coopers triggered by a $38,000 three-day retreat for 18 senior administrators back in August 2024.
A report released in April indicated that out of the board’s 157 schools, “only nine operated below a 60 per cent utilization rate.”
“However, TVDSB faces increasing reliance on portable classrooms due to space shortages, with currently using 347 units,” the report stated.
It noted the school board could generate $9.5 to $16 million through selling “underutilized assets and excess land.”
Irwin , who is also a professor at Western University’s Huron University College studying how rural and inner-city school closings impact communities , said officials are anxious about several schools , including North Middlesex District secondary school as well as East Williams and Parkhill elementary schools.
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Officials from North Middlesex have already met with Education Minister Paul Calandra , education director Bill Tucker , and they hope to meet with the board’s supervisor Paul Boniferro , he added.
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“We’re very serious about following this up,” he continued.
Marcus Ryan , mayor of Zorra Township and warden of Oxford County , shared his experience fighting against school closures.
As a parent , he successfully opposed closing A. J. Baker elementary school located in Kintore east of Thorndale back in 2014.
“In Oxford schools we now have an opposite issue,” he remarked referring to the growing population.
“It’s fortunate we didn’t close any schools back then.”
Ryan expressed having “mixed feelings” about possible school closures.
“It’s entirely unreasonable to say no schools should ever close,” he pointed out. However, he hopes officials will consider balancing out overcrowded classrooms. “Portables are quite common nowadays,” he explained. “Just because there is an underutilized school doesn’t mean there aren’t children who could benefit from attending it.” The Thames Valley board ranks as Ontario’s fourth largest with roughly 84,000 students across its facilities and operates about 160 schools. It employs around 14,000 staff members encompassing teachers along with educational assistants and support personnel. Its yearly budget stands near $1.2 billion. hrivers Read More
The Thames Valley board explores potential closure amid financial troubles
The Thames Valley board pauses plan to cut elementary classes: ‘Huge problem’
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