More improvements promised for local schools

Nipissing MPP Monique Smith
News Release

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Catholic students in North Bay will benefit from funding for a new school and renovations to an existing school. The McGuinty government is investing over $9 million to help the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board address the renewal needs for students at St. Joseph, Sacred Heart and St. Hubert Separate Schools in North Bay.

The government is supporting a $700 million investment to build new schools or expand existing schools to replace facilities where renewal needs are almost as much as the cost of replacing the school. The funding is part of the government’s $4.8 billion Good Places to Learn program to address renewal needs and new construction.

QUOTES

“This is great news for the hundreds of Catholic students at St. Joseph, St. Hubert and Sacred Heart Separate Schools and the neighbouring school communities,” said Nipissing MPP Monique Smith. “This kind of significant education investment will go a long way to support Catholic school students in North Bay and area for generations to come.”

"We are extremely pleased with the Ministry's commitment of funding to address our PTR schools. A significant portion of this funding will help us in addressing the accommodation needs for the two French Immersion Schools currently undergoing the Accommodation Review process, St. Joseph and Sacred Heart,” said Anna Marie Bitonti, Director of Education for the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic School Board. “In addition, some of the funding from this allocation will be used to address the major renovations that are required at St. Hubert as well. This is definitely good news for us at this time and will help to facilitate our long term accommodation planning for these three schools and for the system."

“Students deserve safe and healthy school environments,” said Education Minister Kathleen Wynne. “By investing in better schools for our students, we’re helping them to succeed and reach their full potential.”

QUICK FACTS

- Ontarians have achieved results in publicly funded education. At the two English boards, other examples include:

* Increasing the percentage of primary classes with 20 or fewer students over the past four years at:

- Near North District School Board from 34 to 90 per cent

- Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board from 32 to 93 per cent.


* Increasing the percentage of Grade 3 and 6 students achieving the provincial standard:

- Near North District School Board from 44 to 57 per cent

- Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board from 50 to 59 per cent.

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