TORONTO— The Ontario government is investing $11 million to construct a major addition to York Memorial Collegiate Institute to help working families in York. This investment in the Toronto District School Board announced by Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Kinga Surma, MPP for Etobicoke Centre, will support the creation of 368 additional student spaces as part of the province’s commitment to building modern, accessible, and technologically connected schools for Ontario youth.
The scope of work will include the ministry-funded addition as well as upgrades and improvements 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. Together, these investments will support a newly rebuilt and improved school for students.
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 Minister Lecce. 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 student spaces and 1,500 child care spaces at schools across the province.
“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 Minister 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 investment is part of the Ontario government’s commitment to provide $14 billion to support school construction over 10 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.
“By investing in the expansion of the York Memorial Collegiate Institute, our government is ensuring that students have the best learning environment possible. Schools are where our kids go to learn, develop, and grow.” said Minister Surma. “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.”
Ontario’s investment in new and updated schools will create the foundation for a modern learning environment for hundreds of students across the province.
Highlights of the project include:
- An addition of 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 Chris Tonks, Board Trustee, Toronto District School Board. “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.”
The governments of Canada and Ontario have allocated more than $600 million to support ventilation improvements in schools across Ontario as part of their plans for a safer return to school. The Toronto District School Board has benefited from an investment of $65.8 million for ventilation improvements and has more than 15,800 HEPA filter units in place.
York Memorial Collegiate Institute is located at 2690 Eglinton Avenue West in the old city of York, in Toronto.