FORT FRANCES – NEWS – “The new addition at St. Mary Catholic School is great news for our community,” said Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora – Rainy River. “This investment will provide choice and flexibility for families and new opportunities for the children of Fort Frances, making our community one of the best places to live, work and play.”
The project is part of a provincewide investment of more than $600 million to support new school and child care spaces that were recently announced by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. The overall investment will support 78 school and child care related projects. As part of this investment, the province dedicated more than $565 million to create more than 19,700 new student spaces and 1,500 child care spaces at schools across the province.
The Ontario government is investing $2.6 million to improve St. Mary Catholic School to help working families in Fort Frances. This investment in the Northwest Catholic District School Board announced by Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora – Rainy River, will support the creation of 69 student spaces as part of the Ford Government’s commitment to building modern, accessible, and technologically connected schools for Ontario youth.
“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made safer schools a priority, which is why we continue to invest in modern and accessible learning spaces with improved ventilation,” said Minister Lecce. “This investment is part of our multiyear plan to build, expand, and update schools and child care spaces across our province. It will leave a lasting legacy that benefits working families for years to come.”
The investment is part of the Ontario government’s commitment to provide $14 billion to support school construction over ten years. There are currently more than 300 child care and education building-related projects in development across Ontario with more than 100 actively under construction.
Ontario’s investment in new and updated schools will create the foundation for a modern learning environment for hundreds of students across the province.
The Ontario government has allocated more than $600 million to support ventilation improvements in schools across Ontario as part of its plans for a safer return to school. The Northwest Catholic DSB has benefited from an investment of $180,000 for ventilation improvements and has 65 HEPA filter units in place.