Province announces new school facilities for Vaughan, East Gwillimbury

Aug. 26, 2014
yorkregion.com
By Chris Traber

Vaughan and East Gwillimbury are getting new school facilities.

Ontario is committing $80 million for 10 school board capital projects, including $12 million for a new public elementary school in Vaughan and funding to replace an existing facility in East Gwillimbury, Education Minister Liz Sandals announced Tuesday.

The yet-to-be-named Vaughan school, to be constructed near Weston Road and Major MacKenzie Drive, will accommodate 615 students, Vaughan MPP Steven Del Duca said at a ceremony at Herbert H. Carnegie Public School in Maple.

The new school will give students in Vaughan a modern and improved place to learn while creating local construction jobs, Del Duca said.

"Our government is continuing to invest in crucial public infrastructure to create jobs for today and tomorrow, while also continuing to invest in our strongest assets: our children,” he said. “The opening of a new school in Vaughan will allow kids to get the best education in Canada closer to home," he said.

The East Gwillimbury project, to meet growth and full-day kindergarten needs, will accommodate 461 students, Sandals said. The new school will replace Our Lady of Good Counsel in the Sharon West community.

“Our continued investments in new school buildings and renovations will provide students with modern and improved spaces to learn,” Sandals said. “We know when students have better schools, they will be able to better focus on their learning and thrive."

Quick facts

• Since 2003, 19 new schools have been built in Vaughan.
• In March, the province announced more than $700 million in school board capital projects through the 2013-14 capital priorities program.
• Since 2003, Ontario has invested $12 billion in school infrastructure, including some 655 new schools and more than 630 additions and renovations.
• Eighty-three per cent of students graduated high school in 2012-13, up from 68 per cent in 2003-04.
• Approximately 138,000 more students have graduated over the past 10 years than would have if the graduation rate remained at the 2003-04 level.