Provincial funding will pave the way for a new Catholic elementary school in Georgetown and French Catholic secondary school in Milton.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce made the announcement in Milton on Tuesday morning (April 2), where he was joined by Milton Mayor Gord Krantz and other officials.
The province is going to build a new Georgetown West Catholic elementary school for $26.1 million. The school will support 527 student spaces and 88 licensed child care spaces.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a new school building for the students, families and staff in Georgetown," said Janet O’Hearn-Czarnota, Halton Hills trustee with the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB).
"As trustee for Halton Hills, I am immensely proud and excited to see the positive changes this new school will bring to our area. I am especially grateful to MPP Ted Arnott for his ongoing advocacy and support. Together, we are building a brighter future.”
Previous documentation issued by the HCDSB identifies a 'Georgetown West' future school site on Berton Boulevard.
While Arnott indicated he's not able to participate in funding announcements as Speaker of the House, in an emailed statement, he said he's "very pleased" with the news.
"We should thank the trustees and staff of the Halton Catholic District School Board who have been advocating for this new school for many years, with the strong support of parents. It will be a vastly improved learning environment for our students," Arnott added.
The province is also going to spend $27.4 million to build a new École secondaire catholique Milton for the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir — supporting 502 student spaces and 49 licensed child care spaces.
Another one in the pipeline is a “significant” expansion at Milton District High School, thanks to $26.4 million in funding from the province, which will create 354 student spaces and 88 licensed child care spaces.
In his remarks, Lecce said the province is making “unprecedented investment” in Milton and across the region to support the growing community.
According to a news release, Ontario has spent a total of $378.7 million in Halton school boards for 12 new schools and three additions since 2018 — creating a total of 10,380 student spaces and 978 child care spaces.
Krantz said at the announcement that “a well-educated community is a very, very prosperous community.”
“Investment in the Town of Milton and Region of Halton is critical for the future of our young people,” the mayor said.
