Some big news for education in this region. The Ontario government is investing $67 million to build four new schools in Kingston and Belleville, and to expand three others in Belleville and Madoc.
As well, the province is creating dozens of licensed child-care spaces in some of those schools.
Nearly 24 million will go to the construction of a new joint-use French Language public and Catholic secondary school in the Limestone City.
“We are the only school that’s a joint school, kindergarten to Grade 12, and right now, our elementary school is full, said Linda Savard, the chair of the French Public School Board. “We don’t have enough room for a high school so that’s why we’ve been requesting a high school for a number of years now.”
A new school has been earmarked for the quickly growing Woodhaven subdivision of west Kingston — that’ll be an elementary French school. Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic Board director of education Jody DiRocco welcomed the news.
“We have a definite need for a facility in the Kingston west area, the Woodhaven area. It’ll allow us to address some of our enrollment pressures in some of our current Kingston west schools but also our two French Immersion Schools, both Ecole Cathedral and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.”
Other construction projects include a new elementary school in Belleville to replace Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth schools as well as additions to Moira, Central Hastings, St. Joseph Catholic School and Madoc.
Kingston and The Islands MPP Sophie Kiwala made the announcement.