Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government has announced $11 million funding for a major expansion at York Memorial Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced Monday.
Construction work will include a ministry-funded and upgrades to the school as the Toronto District School Board seeks to rebuild the facility following a fire in 2019. The renovation portion of the project will be funded by the board.
Funding is part of a provincewide investment of more than $600 million to support new school and child care spaces that were recently announced by Lecce. The overall investment will support 78 school and child care projects.
“The York Memorial Collegiate Institute has served families for generations and we are determined to rebuild this school for the community after the devastating fire in 2019,” said Lecce.
“This investment will deliver a modern school that is fully accessible, digitally connected, with state-of-the-art ventilation, that will ensure students are inspired to learn, discover, and create.”
The province has committed $14 billion to support school construction over 10 years and there are currently more than 300 child care and education building-related projects in development across Ontario with more than 100 actively under construction.
“Whether it’s a new school, safer roads, access to high-speed internet, or a new community centre, our government is continuing to build Ontario. Investing in our infrastructure is investing in our health and safety, our economic future, and our quality of life,” said Kinga Surma, infrastructure minister.
Highlights of the York Memorial project include adding 368 student spaces to bring the total to 1,300 pupil places at the restored secondary school.
The school’s restoration will be funded through the board’s insurance proceeds.
“The TDSB is grateful to receive $11 million from the provincial government to help rebuild York Memorial Collegiate Institute,” said TDSB trustee Chris Tonks.
“These funds will create 1,300 secondary student spaces and allow our students to experience the benefits of a neighbourhood school that supports their diverse needs and access a broad range of course offerings to enhance their engagement and academic success.”
York Memorial Collegiate Institute is located at 2690 Eglinton Avenue West in the old city of York, in Toronto.
The governments of Canada and Ontario are providing $656.5 million in funding for critical infrastructure projects to protect students and staff from COVID-19 in the province’s schools through the COVID-19 Resilience stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.