While the Simcoe County District School Board is still waiting for the Ministry of Education to announce funding for new schools, work is continuing to plan how students will be accommodated in the meantime while their existing schools are bursting at the seams.
During their business and facilities committee meeting on April 3, trustees got a look at the public board’s up-to-date accommodation plan. The plan includes the staggering statistic that by this fall, their 89 elementary schools will be at 112 per cent capacity overall, while their 15 secondary schools will be at 104 per cent capacity.
“The SCDSB has experienced unprecedented growth for some time now, which is expected to continue for the foreseeable future,” Business and facility services superintendent Corry Van Nispen told trustees this week. “Capacity has not been able to keep up, resulting in significant accommodation pressures.”
Back in October, the public board finalized their ranked list of capital priority projects for consideration by the Ministry of Education, which identifies the priorities of the board for new school builds:
- New Angus elementary school (growth accommodation)
- New Barrie SE elementary #1 (Dean Ave., growth accommodation)
- New Alcona elementary school (growth accommodation)
- Nantyr Shores Secondary School (growth accommodation addition)
- Warnica Public School (growth accommodation replacement school)
- Emma King Public School (growth accommodation addition)
- New Tottenham elementary school (growth accommodation)
- Ardagh Bluffs Public School (growth accommodation addition)
- Baxter Central Public School (growth accommodation addition)
- New Stayner elementary school (growth accommodation)
- Nottawa Elementary School (growth accommodation addition)
- New Wasaga Beach secondary school (growth accommodation)
- New Barrie SE elementary #2 (Hewitt's, growth accommodation)
New to this call from the province were requirements for boards to provide a summary of key project milestones and details on-site identification, design plans, project timelines and cost estimates. Priority was expected to be given to projects that were considered shovel-ready.
Therefore, last year’s list from the SCDSB was partially determined by whether the board had already acquired land for the projects and had a preliminary design completed.
The Ministry of Education had planned to make a decision on which priorities across Ontario would be approved by the end of winter 2024, however as of April 3, the SCDSB said they have not yet heard to date which of these priorities have been approved, if any.
“We’re still waiting. It was just snowing outside,” Van Nispen told trustees to laughter, while noting the Ministry of Education has indicated they are working to come up with a set schedule moving forward for capital priority applications and approvals.
“We just don’t know what that set schedule is yet,” he said.
Some trustees were running out of patience.
“This is rhetorical and possibly sarcastic, but I think the schedule is every four years when those provincial election cycles happen,” said Innisfil trustee Donna Armstrong.
Orillia/Ramara/Severn trustee Jodi Lloyd said there was a conference call scheduled with the ministry on April 4.
“Who knows what he might share with us,” she said. “I’ll update everyone if there’s any exciting news coming from that.”
On April 4, the Ministry of Education announced they would be increasing capital priority funding to $1.3 billion for 60 new or expanded builds, however the announcement did not include details on the locations of the builds.
In the new accommodation plan, the board outlines which projects will be next in the queue based on need, and the board intends to start the process of purchasing land for these projects now so they’ll be shovel-ready once the next capital priority call comes out.
For elementary schools, the board has identified, in alphabetical order, the following projects to be the next in line: a Coldwater Public School addition, a Huronia Centennial Elementary School addition, and two new schools for south-west Barrie, a new school each for Alliston, Essa corridor, west Midhurst, Innisfil (in the Orbit development) and Wasaga Beach.
For secondary schools, the board has identified the following projects: a Collingwood Collegiate Institute replacement, Bradford, Innisfil, south Barrie (Salem) and New Tecumseth.
The board has also worked out contingency plans for specific schools under “unusual and extreme circumstances,” which can mean the buildings are in poor condition, or there are critical site limitations. Critical site limitations happen when there is no more room on a school site to add new portables to accommodate all students.
The schools on this list include Banting Memorial High School, Forest Hill Public School, Shanty Bay Public School, Collingwood Collegiate Institute, the Angus group of elementary and secondary schools and Marchmont Public School.
Through the plan, the board has named specific projects where partnerships are being pursued with organizations such as municipalities or government agencies to create one project that would serve multiple needs. Through that process, the board is pursuing partnerships for the new Banting Memorial High School replacement, the Collingwood Collegiate Institute replacement, the new Alcona elementary school, the new Bradford secondary school and the new Wasaga Beach secondary school.
At the end of discussion, the committee voted in favour of allowing the board to start attendance area reviews for multiple areas of Simcoe County, and for board staff to continue pursuing partnerships and site acquisitions for new schools.
The decision will need to be ratified at the next regular school board meeting on April 24 before going into effect.
To read the entire 86-page 2024/25 SCDSB accommodation plan with specifics for each school and area, click here.
