Mayor to emphasize urgent need for province to approve new elementary schools
City councillors are backing the public school board’s bid for new elementary schools in two fast-growing neighbourhoods in London.
“As far as I understand, there are decisions going to be made quite soon around new schools and hopefully some funding,” Coun. Corrine Rahman told colleagues on the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee.
On Tuesday, the committee unanimously backed a motion by Rahman and Coun. Hopkins, asking the mayor to have further communications with the province about the urgent need to approve new schools in west and southwest London.
In total, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is seeking eight shovel-ready projects in its request to the province — four in London, four outside London.
However, the two proposed schools in west and southwest London face deadlines of September 2024 and March 2025, to exercise options on the properties, or risk the sites being repurposed into housing.
No alternative sites exist within the neighbourhoods.
The mayor already sent a letter supporting TVDSB’s initial application for capital funding last fall.
Given the looming deadlines, Morgan said he will personally reach out to the Ministry of Education.
“I’ll probably end up trying to get a phone call [scheduled] to communicate directly with them,” he said.
The school board has the power to expropriate land for new schools, but the process could result in students being crowded into existing schools longer than necessary.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.