Ontario Construction News staff writer
A new secondary school in the Town of Alliston will cost the provincial government $41.4 million.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce made the funding announcement on Monday. The new Banting Memorial High School will be built for 1,288 students and will include 49 childcare spaces.
Another $1.1 million was also announced for a new childcare centre at Tecumseth Beeton Elementary School. It is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
“We believe that students in rural communities deserve modern schools & every opportunity to succeed,” Lecce said following the virtual announcement.
“For Simcoe County students, our investment will address an urgent need to replace an ageing school by investing in this rural community after years of neglect under the previous government.”
The current building was built in 1959 and the community has been advocating for a new facility for several years. A location has not been announced for the new facility, but the current location on Highway 89 has been ruled out due to space constraints.
According to the education minister, the target opening date is September 2024.
“Every capital approval on our end will be done expeditiously because it was needed yesterday,” he said, adding that the announcement “underscores the truth that the government should, must invest in fast-growing rural parts of our province, from an equity perspective and also just from delivering modern, well-ventilated, internet-connected schools in every region of Ontario.”