NEWS RELEASE
BRIAN SAUNDERSON, MPP FOR SIMCOE-GREY
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Today, Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey proudly announced that the Ontario government is investing $3.9 Million for a 184-student-space elementary school addition to Monsignor J.E. Ronan Catholic School.
This project is part of $1.3 Billion in funding to build new schools and expansions, including childcare spaces, announced as part of the Ministry of Education’s Capital Priorities Program.
“This funding for an addition to Monsignor Ronan in Beeton is great news for our community,” said Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey. “This investment will ensure families and students have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead.”
The ongoing investments in education and child care projects will result in over 25,000 new student spaces and more than 1,600 licensed child care spaces at school sites across Ontario.
Schools and child care centres are an essential piece of the community landscape. Funding these local infrastructure projects demonstrates that the government is meeting urgent needs to address growth related to demographic changes and housing development.
“Our government is investing in new schools and improved infrastructure across the province to support the needs of Ontario’s students, families, and growing communities.” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “These are part of our historic investment of more than $190 billion over the next ten years to build and deliver the critical infrastructure Ontarians deserve today, and for future generations to come.”
QUOTES
'We were excited to learn that the Ministry of Education has approved our capital priority submission for Monsignor J.E. Ronan Catholic School. Simcoe Muskoka Catholic is a growing school board and any opportunity to expand our facilities and accommodate student growth is welcome. The New Tecumseth community will be thrilled to see this addition which will be tentatively open in 2027 to accommodate 187 more students. Publicly funded Catholic education is thriving in our communities and we look forward to welcoming new students into our schools so they can foster learning and growth in a faith-filled environment.”
- Maria Hardie Board Chair, Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board
QUICK FACTS
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Ontario is meeting the needs of growing communities with over 200 new schools and additions underway that will create over 97,000 pupil spaces in the coming years.
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For the 2024-25 school year, the ministry has allocated renewal funding of approximately $1.4 billion to school boards to renew and improve schools.
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The investment is part of Ontario’s commitment to provide about $16 billion to support new school construction, renewal and improvement over 10 years.
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In December 2023, the Ministry of Education announced Ontario’s plan to help build schools faster through a transparent, accountable and more efficient process. School boards were encouraged to standardize the design of new school construction, identify opportunities to work together on joint-use school projects and bring forward shovel-ready proposals.
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The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 ensures the public education system focuses on what matters most: teaching important life‑long skills such as reading, writing and math; improving accountability and transparency for parents and families; maximizing capital assets of boards to support building modern schools faster and better utilizing current school capacity.
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The government is committed to providing families with more affordable and accessible child care as part of the federal government’s national child care program. Effective January 1,2025, Ontario has capped child care fees at$22 per day for families with children in programs enrolled in the Canada‑wide Early Learning and Child Care system.
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