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MPP French: Taking Action on $147.4-million of Disrepair in Oshawa Schools

In 2018 MPP French signed the Fix Our Schools Pledge to create a Standard of Good Repair for Ontario schools

MPP Jennifer French of Oshawa Riding brought forward a petition in the House this week urging our new provincial government to reverse the decision to cut $100-million of funding from school repairs and to invest the $16-billion needed to tackle the repair backlog in Ontario’s schools. Oshawa’s $147-M of school disrepair was featured in the article entitled, “Oshawa MPP brings petition to Queen’s Park urging reversal on school repair funding cut: Advocacy group says Oshawa has $147 million in school disrepair”. The following is from the Hansard in Queen’s Park:

School facilities

Ms. Jennifer K. French: I have a petition to fund our schools.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas too many children are going to school in buildings without proper heating or cooling, with leaky roofs or stairways overdue for repair;

“Whereas after years of Conservative and Liberal governments neglecting schools, the backlog of needed repairs has reached $16 billion;

“Whereas during the 2018 election, numerous members of the Conservative Party, including the current Minister of Education, pledged to provide adequate, stable funding for Ontario’s schools;

“Whereas less than three weeks into the legislative session, Doug Ford and the Conservative government have already cut $100 million in much-needed school repairs, leaving our children and educators to suffer in classrooms that are unsafe and unhealthy;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Minister of Education to immediately reverse the decision to cut $100 million in school repair funding, and invest the $16 billion needed to tackle the repair backlog in Ontario’s schools.”

I wholeheartedly support this petition, affix my name to it and send it with page Jamie.

To support MPP French’s petition, Fix Our Schools wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in the Oshawa riding:

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Oshawa, for a total of $147.4-million of school disrepair in this riding:

ÉÉP AntonineMaillet $3,947,815
Monsignor Paul Dwyer C.H.S. $2,722,523
Msgr. J. Pereyma C.S.S. $3,983,704
Msgr. Philip Coffey C.S. $337,161
Sir Albert Love C.S. $3,030,166
St. Christopher C.S. $4,347,162
St. Hedwig C.S. $457,330
St. John XXIII C.S. $2,952,751
St. Thomas Aquinas C.S. $3,144,934
ACEC E A Lovell PS $5,896,385
Adelaide Mclaughlin PS $3,960,522
Beau Valley PS $2,401,725
Bobby Orr Public School $621,070
College Hill PS $2,612,354
Coronation PS $1,927,758
Dr CF Cannon PS $2,219,051
Dr S J Phillips PS $3,836,562
Eastdale C & VI $16,115,825
Forest View PS $6,057,634
G L Roberts C & VI $11,832,605
Glen Street PS $3,889,417
Gordon B Attersley PS $1,419,225
Harmony Heights PS $2,649,485
Hillsdale PS $2,407,180
Kedron PS $1,173,770
Lakewoods PS $1,514,378
Mary Street Community S $1,629,041
Maxwell Heights S.S. $389,925
O’Neill C & VI $13,767,918
Pierre Elliot Trudeau P.S. $1,465,465
Queen Elizabeth PS $304,296
R S Mclaughlin C & VI $7,671,378
Sherwood Public School $175,480
Stephen G Saywell PS $1,062,171
Sunset Heights PS $2,403,858
Village Union PS $7,312,113
Vincent Massey PS $3,965,058
Walter E Harris PS $3,712,713
Waverly PS $4,792,526
Woodcrest PS $1,050,672
ÉÉC CorpusChristi $2,285,552

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health. Clearly, MPP French recognizes this fact, as do students and families in Oshawa. We ask that constituents in Oshawa work with MPP French to raise the important issue of school conditions and to urge our provincial government to please prioritize schools as critical infrastructure and take the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working.

MPP Rakocevic: Taking action on $212.5-million of Disrepair in Humber River-Black Creek Schools

In 2018 MPP Rakocevic signed the Fix Our Schools Pledge to create a Standard of Good Repair for Ontario schools

MPP Tom Rakocevic of Humber River-Black Creek Riding brought forward a petition in the House this week urging our new provincial government to reverse the decision to cut $100-million of funding from school repairs and to invest the $16-billion needed to tackle the repair backlog in Ontario’s schools. The following is from the Hansard:

 

 

School facilities

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: “This petition is entitled ‘Fund Our Schools.’

“Whereas too many children are going to school in buildings without proper heating or cooling, with leaky roofs or stairways overdue for repair;

“Whereas after years of Conservative and Liberal governments neglecting schools, the backlog of needed repairs has reached $16 billion;

“Whereas during the 2018 election, numerous members of the Conservative Party, including the current Minister of Education, pledged to provide adequate, stable funding for Ontario’s schools;

“Whereas less than three weeks into the legislative session, Doug Ford and the Conservative government have already cut $100 million in much-needed school repairs, leaving our children and educators to suffer in classrooms that are unsafe and unhealthy;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the Minister of Education to immediately reverse the decision to cut $100 million in school repair funding, and invest the $16 billion needed to tackle the repair backlog in Ontario’s schools.”

I’m proud to support this very important petition and I’m giving it to page Eric.

To support MPP Rakocevic’s petition, Fix Our Schools wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in the Humber River-Black Creek riding:

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Humber River-Black Creek, for a total of $212.5-million of school disrepair in this riding:

Blessed Margherita of Citta Castello CS $1,647,676
Msgr Fraser College West Regina Pacis Catholic Secondary $4,761,308
St Augustine of Canterbury CS $2,451,533
St Basil the Great College $1,170,960
St Charles Garnier CS $1,376,110
St Francis de Sales $940,161
St Jane Frances CS $501,016
St Jude CS $4,193,782
St Roch CS $2,272,230
St Wilfrid CS $5,018,408
Venerable John Merlini $3,761,185
Blacksmith PS $5,181,135
Brookview MS $7,965,467
C W Jefferys CI $24,200,593
Chalkfarm PS $2,424,601
Daystrom PS $8,979,291
Derrydown PS $3,391,332
Driftwood PS $4,643,113
Elia MS $10,107,708
Emery CI $19,357,639
Firgrove PS $6,217,607
Gosford PS $6,333,779
Gracedale PS $9,361,770
Gulfstream PS $5,148,246
Humber Summit MS $8,288,867
Lamberton PS $4,996,844
Oakdale Park MS $9,903,809
Shoreham Public Sports and Wellness Academy $7,799,069
Stanley PS $5,124,058
Topcliff PS $5,284,921
Westview Centennial SS $23,483,553
Yorkwoods PS $6,199,216

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health. Clearly, MPP Rakocevic recognizes this fact, as do students and families in his riding. We ask that Humber River-Black Creek constituents work with MPP Rakocevic to raise the important issue of school conditions and to urge our provincial government to please prioritize schools as critical infrastructure and take the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working.

MPP Fife: Taking action on $69.8-Million of Disrepair in Waterloo Schools

In 2018 MPP Fife signed the Fix Our Schools Pledge to create a Standard of Good Repair for Ontario schools

MPP Catherine Fife of Waterloo Riding brought specific student concerns to the attention of our provincial government. The following is from the Hansard:

School facilities

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s my honour to rise in the House to share the voices of students from Lincoln Heights Public School. Lincoln Heights alone requires over $3 million in repairs and is one of many schools in Waterloo; across the city, over $68 million in repairs are required.

The students wrote to me to share their concerns about cuts to school repair funding. Here’s what they had to say:

Grade 4 student Ryan: “We don’t have air conditioning and our classrooms get really hot…. Our windows don’t have screens, so sometimes wasps fly in on hot days. I got stung by wasps twice while in class.”

His classmate Emily also wants the government to fund fixes to air conditioning.

Madison, in grade 5, says, “In my classroom, it’s usually good in the winter but one time our heat broke and we had to wear our winter coats to keep warm. However, in the summertime it is so hot … one time our classroom was so hot that our teacher was thinking of sending us home.”

Kayden, aged 10, wants the government to know how difficult it was to learn after his class was moved to the cafeteria because of a ceiling leak in their classroom.

William, who just graduated from Lincoln Heights, says, “Teachers and students should be able to complete their work based on their abilities and not on the environment they are working in.”

Joshua, grade 8, was blunt: “Lincoln Heights’ crumbling state is a perfect example of why the school repair budget shouldn’t be cut.”

Thanks to the students from Lincoln Heights for speaking up. Keep using your voices to make the world a better place.

In addition to Lincoln Heights Public School, Fix Our Schools wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in Waterloo riding:

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Waterloo:

ÉÉP L’Harmonie $1,694,703
Holy Rosary S $1,812,018
Our Lady of Lourdes Sep S $3,297,122
Sir Edgar Bauer Sep S $3,234,323
St Agnes Sep S $2,921,740
St David Catholic SS $10,923,975
St Matthew E S $2,118,524
St. Luke Catholic Elementary School $324,964
St. Nicholas Catholic Elementary School $101,828
Abraham Erb PS $145,720
Bluevale CI $5,534,148
Bridgeport PS $1,428,294
Cedarbrae PS $2,489,995
Centennial PS (W) $1,769,227
Edna Staebler PS $263,850
Elizabeth Ziegler PS $3,366,547
Empire PS $1,525,018
Keatsway PS $1,084,140
Laurelwood PS $2,566,400
Lester B. Pearson PS $25,000
Lexington PS $398,249
Lincoln Heights PS $3,071,140
MacGregor PS $2,461,639
Mary Johnston PS $639,528
N.A. MacEachern PS $1,069,580
Northlake Woods PS $327,316
Sandowne PS $1,414,868
Sir John A. Macdonald SS $43,116
Waterloo CI $9,705,035
Westvale PS $180,980
Winston Churchill PS $1,728,931
ÉÉC MèreÉlisabethBruyère $2,161,036

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health. Clearly, MPP Fife recognizes this fact, as do students and families in her riding. We ask that Waterloo constituents continue to work with MPP Fife to raise the important issue of school conditions and to urge our provincial government to please prioritize schools as critical infrastructure and take the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working.

Thank you for supporting safe, healthy, well-maintained schools in Ontario!

When Fix Our Schools began in 2014, we all wanted to improve our own children’s learning environment. Our group saw that our local Toronto schools were in shocking condition and that our school board had a massive repair backlog. 

By 2015, we realized that every single one of Ontario’s school boards had a similar backlog, for a total of $15 Billion. That amount has grown over time.

But so have the number of people of Ontario who have supported the Fix Our Schools campaign. From every walk of life and every political persuasion, people have helped Fix Our Schools: 

• FOS receives photos of disrepair from students, caretakers, architects, skilled tradespeople, teachers & parents. 

• Families send us stories about the impact that poor school conditions have on their children. 

• Many people send us news stories via social media. 

MPP and Minister of Education Lisa Thompson holding her signed pledge.

• Thousands of people have written to their local Member of Provincial Parliament about school conditions, or encouraged MPP’s to sign our pledge for a State of Good Repair Standard for Ontario schools.

Your support of Fix Our Schools allows us to continue. Thank you!

Click here to read about FOS’s achievements in increasing funding for school repairs and increasing transparency into this important issue. 

MPP Bouma: $108.1-Million of Disrepair in Brantford-Brant Schools

Dear MPP Bouma,

Did you know there is $108.1-million of disrepair in the publicly funded schools in your riding of Brantford-Brant? We know that you did not sign the Fix Our Schools Pledge during the election, but we also recognize that your government has committed to governing for the People. We trust that safe, healthy, well-maintained school buildings will be a part of this commitment?

We wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in your riding in the hope that this detailed information would underscore the importance of developing standards of good repair for Ontario schools and also the importance of providing the adequate, stable provincial funding to school boards required for them to meet those new standards and eliminate the $15.9-billion repair backlog that plagues Ontario’s schools.

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Brantford-Brant:

Assumption College School $4,763,400
Christ the King Sep S $1,128,120
Holy Cross Sep S $1,474,410
Holy Family S $1,157,497
Jean Vanier Catholic Elementary School $40,800
Notre Dame Sep S $2,363,340
Our Lady of Providence $53,737
Resurrection Sep S $1,802,812
Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School $250,640
St Gabriel Catholic Elementary School $244,800
St John’s College $3,215,040
St Leo Sep S $1,801,759
St Patricks S $2,234,813
St Peter $1,322,940
St Theresa Sep S $1,657,676
Agnes G Hodge $507,503
Banbury Heights PS $597,679
Bellview PS $910,362
Branlyn PS $2,363,340
Brantford CI & VS $1,275,000
Brier Park PS $1,551,930
Cedarland PS $1,906,380
Centennial $3,194,130
Central PS $578,805
Cobblestone Elementary School $176,800
Dufferin PS $2,719,320
Echo Place PS $1,062,089
Graham Bell $2,038,832
Grand Erie Learning Alternatives $1,716,660
Grandview PS $3,119,887
Greenbrier PS $2,053,116
James Hillier PS $1,947,129
King George PS $410,927
Lansdowne PS $1,676,647
Major Ballachey PS $1,038,909
Mount Pleasant PS $2,815,280
North Park C & VS $14,943,029
North Ward PS $1,356,866
OnondagaBrant PS $1,608,880
Paris Central PS $772,973
Paris DHS (Sec) $7,847,341
Pauline Johnson C & VS $11,749,889
Prince Charles PS $2,679,540
Princess Elizabeth PS $1,819,252
Russell Reid PS $257,946
Ryerson Heights $48,234
Tollgate Technological Skills Centre $6,012,184
Woodman Drive (Cainsville PS) $1,452,256
ÉÉC SainteMargueriteBourgeoys Brantford $412,885

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health.

We ask that you and your government please prioritize schools as critical infrastructure and take the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working. We look forward to hearing back from you with details on your plan to Fix Ontario’s Schools.

PLEASE NOTE: Fix Our Schools is relying on the most recent disrepair data provided by the Ministry of Education in Fall 2017 and has mapped postal codes provided by the Ministry for each school to riding postal code information from a third party. Therefore, it is possible that there may be small errors in the data provided here and we would be grateful if community members would contact us with any errors. 

PC Government Commits to Fixing Ontario Schools

When questioned in the legislature about why her government would cut $100-million from annual school repairs funding, Education Minister Thompson responded that she was “so pleased that I am committed to fixing schools. We are going to be working with our ministry officials as well as our school boards to get it right and clean up the Liberal mess once and for all.” 

Minister Thompson – Fix Our Schools and citizens from across the province will be holding you to this commitment!

From the Hansard: School facilities

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Deputy Premier.

Schools across Ontario are crumbling, but instead of fixing our schools, the Premier chose to cut $100 million from school repairs.

Does the Deputy Premier think cutting $100 million from school repairs is good for students and for the next generation?

Hon. Christine Elliott: To the Minister of Education.

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I’m pleased to share with the House today that we understand that over the last 15 years, the Liberal government allowed schools to crumble, and it is absolutely concerning. That’s why I’m pleased with the work that we’re moving forward with in terms of working with both ministry officials as well as school boards across this province, and we are going to get it right and address priorities.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Mr. Peter Tabuns: Again to the Deputy Premier: The Premier told Ontarians that he was cancelling school repairs because of his short-sighted decision to cancel cap-and-trade. But in yesterday’s briefing on Bill 4, it turns out that that’s not true. Nothing is stopping the government from fixing schools. The cap-and-trade money was collected. It is available. These projects can move forward.

So why is the Premier not fixing our schools?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I think it’s very important that we take the time today and share with the members opposite that the GGRF does not repair boilers. It does not repair the crumbling schools that happened under the Liberals’ watch. That’s why I am so pleased that I am committed to fixing schools. We are going to be working with our ministry officials as well as our school boards to get it right and clean up the Liberal mess once and for all.

 

 

MPP Des Rosiers: $194-million of Disrepair in Ottawa-Vanier Schools

Dear MPP Des Rosiers,

Did you know there is $194-million of disrepair in the publicly funded schools in your riding of Ottawa-Vanier?

We wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in your riding in the hope that this detailed information would underscore the importance of developing standards of good repair for Ontario schools and also the importance of providing the adequate, stable provincial funding to school boards required for them to meet those new standards and eliminate the $15.9-billion repair backlog that plagues Ontario’s schools.

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Ottawa-Vanier:

Annexe Trille des Bois $1,836,211
ÉÉP Francojeunesse $1,017,751
ÉÉP MaurilBélanger $2,152,631
ÉÉP SéraphinMarion $1,652,970
ÉÉP Trille des Bois $956,480
ÉSP De La Salle $4,288,449
Pavillon Francojeunesse $7,341,772
Assumption CES $2,633,076
L B Pearson 912 $5,850,881
Our Lady of Mount Carmel CES $3,343,195
St Brigid CES $1,615,300
St Brother André CES $2,637,776
St John Paul II CES $1,214,974
St Michael Ottawa CES $3,423,631
Thomas D Arcy McGee CES $4,966,171
ÉC Minto $28,583
ÉÉC HorizonJeunesse (reconstruction) $12,538,105
ÉÉC La Vérendrye $4,586,960
ÉÉC SainteAnne $202,715
ÉSC SamuelGenest $15,942,068
Carson Grove PS $2,213,544
Colonel By SS $13,937,894
Gloucester HS $22,982,149
Henry Munro MS $7,682,023
Le Phare, ES $1,406,171
Manor Park PS $5,883,845
Ottawa Technical Learning Centre $24,885,846
Queen Elizabeth PS $5,860,046
Queen Mary PS $3,714,447
Robert E. Wilson PS $3,886,588
Robert Hopkins PS $5,576,406
Rockcliffe Park PS $7,399,892
Viscount Alexander PS $3,989,899
York Street PS $6,373,089

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health.

We ask that you and your government please prioritize schools as critical infrastructure and take the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working. We look forward to hearing back from you with details on your plan to Fix Ontario’s Schools.

PLEASE NOTE: Fix Our Schools is relying on the most recent disrepair data provided by the Ministry of Education in Fall 2017 and has mapped postal codes provided by the Ministry for each school to riding postal code information from a third party. Therefore, it is possible that there may be small errors in the data provided here and we would be grateful if community members would contact us with any errors. 

Based on community feedback, the disrepair in Ottawa-Vanier Riding was updated on July 31, 2018 to remove Rideau HS, which has been closed. 

MPP West: $170-million of Disrepair in Sudbury Schools

Dear MPP West,

Did you know there is $170-million of disrepair in the publicly funded schools in your riding of Sudbury? We commend you for signing the Fix Our Schools Pledge during the election, and making the personal commitment to ensure all Ontario’s schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working. We also appreciate that the issue of disrepair was raised at Queen’s Park several times the week of July 16.

In 2018 MPP West signed the Fix Our Schools Pledge to create a Standard of Good Repair for Ontario schools

We wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in your riding in the hope that this detailed information would underscore the importance of developing standards of good repair for Ontario schools and also the importance of providing the adequate, stable provincial funding to school boards required for them to meet those new standards and eliminate the $15.9-billion repair backlog that plagues Ontario’s schools.

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Sudbury:

ÉP HélèneGravel $2,373,495
ÉP JeanÉthierBlais $12,028
ÉP JeanneSauvé $3,791,594
ÉS MacdonaldCartier $17,111,408
Adamsdale P.S. $1,696,365
Alexander PS $3,235,001
Carl A Nesbitt PS $3,997,608
Churchill PS $2,649,779
Copper Cliff PS $5,074,025
Cyril Varney PS $2,476,964
Ernie Checkeris P.S. $2,734,667
Jean Hanson Public School $1,933,848
Lansdowne $4,023,654
Lasalle SS $19,219,003
Levack PS $7,105,577
Lockerby Comp S $10,544,658
LoEllen Park S.S. $6,436,546
Princess Anne PS $2,591,346
Queen Elizabeth II PS $2,216,927
R L Beattie PS $2,706,090
Sudbury S.S. $2,721,846
Westmount Avenue PS $2,578,639
Marymount Academy Secondary $4,890,422
Pius XII Sep S $5,132,358
St Albert Adult Learning Centre (St Thomas Sep S) $3,429,717
St Benedict Catholic SS $2,264,797
St Charles College $20,607,714
St Francis S $3,010,749
ÉÉC FélixRicard $5,205,934
ÉÉC SaintDominique $1,664,087
ÉÉC SaintJoseph $2,639,382
ÉÉC SaintPierre $1,499,519
ÉSC Carrefour Options+ $5,871,032
ÉSC Collège NotreDame $5,414,110
ÉSC du SacréCœur $1,184,369

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health.

We ask that you please work to ensure that our provincial government prioritizes schools as critical infrastructure and takes the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working. We look forward to hearing back from you with details on your plan to Fix Ontario’s Schools.

PLEASE NOTE: Fix Our Schools is relying on the most recent disrepair data provided by the Ministry of Education in Fall 2017 and has mapped postal codes provided by the Ministry for each school to riding postal code information from a third party. Therefore, it is possible that there may be small errors in the data provided here and we would be grateful if community members would contact us with any errors. 

Minister Hardeman: $118.8-million of Disrepair in Oxford Schools

Dear Minister Hardeman,

Did you know there is $118.8-million of disrepair in the publicly funded schools in your riding of Oxford? We know that you did not sign the Fix Our Schools Pledge during the election, but we also recognize that your government has committed to governing for the People. We trust that safe, healthy, well-maintained school buildings will be a part of this commitment?

We wanted to share the following details of disrepair each school in your riding in the hope that this detailed information would underscore the importance of developing standards of good repair for Ontario schools and also the importance of providing the adequate, stable provincial funding to school boards required for them to meet those new standards and eliminate the $15.9-billion repair backlog that plagues Ontario’s schools.

Total disrepair in each publicly funded school in Oxford:

Blessed Sacrament Sep S $2,561,811
Our Lady of La Salette Sep S $1,701,723
Holy Family Catholic French Immersion School $1,999,912
Monsignor J. H. O’Neil Catholic School $1,007,592
St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Tillsonburg $1,466,793
St. Jude’s Catholic School, Ingersoll $281,489
St. Mary’s Catholic High School $2,753,313
St. Michael’s Catholic School, Woodstock $959,053
St. Patrick’s Catholic School, Woodstock $878,996
A. J. Baker PS $1,438,249
Algonquin PS $2,107,506
Annandale PS $3,687,209
Blenheim District PS $45,864
Central PS $1,110,853
College Avenue SS $6,037,722
East Oxford Central PS $6,349,300
Eastdale PS $1,250,549
Emily Stowe PS $826,161
Glendale HS $13,964,840
Harrisfield PS $959,547
Hickson Central PS $5,353,031
Huron Park SS $17,353,395
Ingersoll District CI $6,923,292
Innerkip Central PS $6,648,754
Northdale PS $1,815,327
Oliver Stephens PS $2,389,939
Plattsville & District PS $2,436,383
Roch Carrier FI PS $4,178,931
Royal Roads PS $405,760
South Ridge PS $1,650,175
Southside PS $1,779,702
Springbank PS $545,664
Thamesford PS $1,083,417
Winchester Street PS $579,795
Woodstock CI $12,986,695
Zorra Highland Park PS $1,320,426

School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health.

We ask that you and your government please prioritize schools as critical infrastructure and take the steps necessary to ensure that the $15.9-billion of disrepair in all of Ontario’s publicly funded schools is eliminated and that schools are safe, healthy, well-maintained buildings that provide environments conducive to learning and working. We look forward to hearing back from you with details on your plan to Fix Ontario’s Schools.

PLEASE NOTE: Fix Our Schools is relying on the most recent disrepair data provided by the Ministry of Education in Fall 2017 and has mapped postal codes provided by the Ministry for each school to riding postal code information from a third party. Therefore, it is possible that there may be small errors in the data provided here and we would be grateful if community members would contact us with any errors. 

School disrepair a hot topic at Queen’s Park

School disrepair was a hot topic at Queen’s Park the week of July 16.

From the Hansard on Tuesday, July 17:

Ms. Marit Stiles: Through you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education.

For years, the parent-led group Fix Our Schools has been calling on the government to make urgent repairs to Ontario’s schools. Days before the election, they circulated a pledge asking candidates to make a public commitment to finally eliminate the astonishing $16-billion repair backlog. I signed that pledge, and indeed many Conservative MPPs, including our own Minister of Education, signed their names to that pledge.

And yet, as soon as this government was sworn in, it turned around and quietly gutted $100 million in funding for very urgent school repairs. Why is this government already breaking its promise to the students and families of Ontario?


Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: To the Minister of the Environment.

Hon. Rod Phillips: Mr. Speaker, through you: The member is referring to the funding that was being provided by the cap-and-trade carbon tax program. This government was exceptionally clear—this party was exceptionally clear—that it would eliminate that regressive tax, and as a result, we are working with our transfer partners to go through the orderly wind-down of the funding that came from that program. That’s what you can expect from this government: We’ll make a promise and we’ll keep a promise.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Marit Stiles: Through you, Mr. Speaker: My question again to the Minister of Education, who signed this pledge.

The state of our schools in Ontario is appalling. They are crumbling. Across this province, they are literally falling apart—

Interjection.


Ms. Marit Stiles: Oh, I know. I know, after 15 years of Liberal mismanagement. Don’t get me wrong; I know that.

In my own riding, I have schools like Alexander Muir/Gladstone, where the roof was so bad last year, they had to use the kindergarten water tables to catch the leaks. They have an urgent repair list of 44 major repairs needed, in that one school alone.

I want to know—and I want to hear this from the Minister of Education, please. You made a pledge. I don’t care where you get it. You cut $100 million in repairs that we urgently need in our communities. Parents expect it. You talk about the importance of parents and how you’re listening to them. Listen to them now. Fix Our Schools is a parent-led organization, and you signed the pledge.

How many more students are going to have to sit through the next year in leaky classrooms wearing hats and mitts before you live up to your pledge?

Interjections.


The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Please take your seats.

Minister of the Environment?


Hon. Rod Phillips: To the Minister of Education.

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: I’m very pleased to rise on the occasion of our second day back in the 42nd Parliament to address this very serious issue that evolved under 15 years of mismanagement by the former Liberal government.

I might remind the speaker that during my seven years here, it was the party opposite, the opposition party, that propped this government up and allowed the continued disintegration of the schools.

With that said, I’m pleased to share with you that we’re working with our ministry officials, because fixing our schools is very important. We’re going to fix and address the issues that evolved under the former Liberal government, because our students deserve that.

From the Hansard on Wednesday, July 18:

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: My question is to the Minister of Education.

On Monday, Fix Our Schools wrote a letter to the minister, putting the total estimate for school repairs in her riding at a staggering $113.8 million. They reminded her of the personal commitment she made to fix our schools during the campaign. They stated this clearly: “School conditions matter. They impact student learning, attendance, and health.”

Yesterday, this government admitted that the colossal $100 million they cut from school repair funding was just collateral damage in their crusade against cap-and-trade. They admitted that the well-being of students was an afterthought.

Will the minister’s message to the students in her riding and across Ontario continue to be that they are just not a priority?


Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: You know, I find it rather ironic, because the reality is this: Under 15 years of Liberal rule which the NDP party—the opposition party—propped up the entire way, we’ve seen schools crumble across this province. I am very pleased to share with you, Speaker—

Interjections.


The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I’ll ask the official opposition to please come to order. I have to be able to hear the response.

Minister of Education.


Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: Thank you, Speaker. I’m very pleased to share with you that in working with ministry officials, we’re addressing the renovation needs of our schools. You’re going to see this government always putting students first.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Bhutila Karpoche: Back to the Minister of Education: Runnymede Collegiate Institute, a great high school in my riding of Parkdale–High Park, currently needs 15 urgent repairs among 64 others. These repairs include hot water boilers, roof coverings and a 90-year-old structural frame—urgent, meaning now. The students and families of Runnymede Collegiate cannot afford to hold out while this government makes cuts first and promises later.

How much longer will the students and families in Parkdale–High Park be left waiting?


Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: We need to be perfectly clear here: The $100 million in the Green Ontario Fund—the gas reduction—

Interjection: The greenhouse gas fund.

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: The greenhouse gas reduction slush fund that the Liberals created was never, ever going to be addressing those problems that the member opposite just described.

With that said, I look forward to inviting the member opposite to come forward and meet with me and share her concerns about her local school so that I can raise them with ministry officials and I can get a status update on those particular repairs.

From the Hansard on Thursday, July 19:

Ms. Jessica Bell: My question is for the Minister of Education.

I’d like to tell everyone about a very special student from my riding, Principal’s Award winner Jed Sears. Jed attends King Edward public school, where the repair backlog is $8.9 million. In his own words: “King Edward has washrooms that are closed because they can’t afford to fix the bathrooms. There are stalls that have no toilet paper or … soap for days. King Edward … has problems with mice.”

Jed also says the thermometer in his classroom reaches occasionally over 30 degrees. He says his classmates have had to miss school days, and he has found that his learning and his test performance have been dramatically impacted by the extreme heat.

When will students like Jed get answers from his government about their plan to fix Ontario’s schools?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: To Jed and all of his classmates, I say that I appreciate their frustrations because over the last 15 years, the previous Liberal government has allowed schools across this province to crumble and actually deteriorate in front of students’ eyes, and it’s unacceptable.

I have to also share with you, and clarify, that the GGRF slush fund, if you will, would not do anything towards the renovations and the fixes that Jed was describing in his message to the member opposite.

To Jed and all the students across Ontario: We’re working very hard with our ministry officials, as well as our school boards, to make sure that we can bring forward renovations in a timely and cost-effective manner.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Supplementary?

Ms. Jessica Bell: To the Minister of Education again: In a hurried response to public outrage over the $100-million cut to school funding, the Minister of Education says the government will fix and address the issues facing our crumbling schools. The people of Ontario have made it clear: The issue is repair funding. If this government expects teachers and parents to trust them, then earn it.

When will the minister confirm that this government will provide the $100 million for repair funding to replace the amount they gutted from schools last week?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: The people of Ontario were very clear that they wanted our government, the PC government of Ontario under the leadership of Premier Doug Ford, to fix the issue at hand, and that was the previous government having their hand in their pocket every time they turned around—much like the GGRF slush fund.

Again, the reality check is here, Speaker, that the slush fund would not have done anything for the renovation that the member opposite described. I’m very, very happy to share with her and everyone across this province that I’m working with ministry officials, as well as our local school boards, to identify the priorities, and we will move forward in addressing the renovations in a timely manner.