The Ontario government made a big investment Tuesday in local education.
Kingston and The Islands MPP Sophie Kiwala joined with school board officials to announce $67 million in new education ministry funding either to build or to expand half a dozen schools in Kingston, Belleville and Madoc, Ont., and to create 120 licensed child care spaces.
Highlights of the funding include:
-a new joint-use French Language Public and Catholic Secondary school in Kingston that will share common spaces and feature three child care rooms with space for 49 children. Both schools will accommodate 600 students;
-a new Catholic elementary school in Kingston’s Woodhaven subdivision which will include four new child care rooms with space for 73 children and three EarlyON child and family rooms. The new project will accommodate nearly 500 students;
-a new elementary school in Belleville to replace Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth Public Schools that will accommodate nearly 500 students;
-additions to Moira Secondary School, St. Joseph Catholic School, and Centre Hastings Secondary School in Belleville and Madoc that will accommodate nearly 600 students.
“Supporting the burgeoning demand for French services that is already present in our community, this inclusive and welcoming centre will attract Francophones from across the province and country,” said Kiwala at this morning’s news conference at Centre Culturel Frontenac in Kingston.
One school board official says they have lobbied the government for the past four years to secure this funding.