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.