Ontario announces $67.4M for London and area schools

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.

• Trustees want provincial cash for local and rural schools

"All in all, it will be 2,300 students going to school in a modern environment, closeto 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 TVDSBchairMatt Reid.

"The communities of Masonville and especially Summersidein 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."

• Trustees want provincial cash for local and rural schools

Reid says residents of theSummersidecommunity 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 SummersideCommunity 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 coincidewith 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 atMasonvillePublic School
• $3.7 million for an addition atTweedsmuirPublic 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

LambtonKent 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 renovationprojects province-wide to make room for approximately2,700 licensed child care spaces for children under the age of four.

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The Ontario government is slated to invest a total of $784 million in 79 new and renovated schools across the provincein 2018.