Time running out to secure properties for new elementary schools in west and southwest London

The residential building boom in west and southwest London has strained existing schools that must accommodate the additional students moving in every year.

The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has applied to the Ontario Ministry of Education to build two new elementary schools in the area, but unless an approval comes soon, the board’s opportunity to secure the necessary properties could expire.

“We need them right now,” said Beth Mai, chair of TVDSB. “We are currently continuing to accommodate students in portables in other locations.

TVDSB’s 2023-2024 Capital Priorities Program funding request to the province includes eight shovel-ready projects — four in London, four outside London.

The new schools in west and southwest London face deadlines to exercise options on the properties, or risk the sites being repurposed into more housing.

Specifically, the west London property has an option period expiring on September 3, 2024 and the southwest London property has an option period expiring on March 29, 2025.

At this time, TVDSB doesn’t have alternative sites within the area for the two new schools.

“It is important to have schools within our communities. It’s important to have schools that are walkable. It’s important to have schools as community hubs,” said Coun. Corrine Rahman.

Rahman and Coun. Anna Hopkins have sent a letter to the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) about the looming deadlines.

It requests that the mayor send a letter supporting the TVDSB business cases for four new schools in London and emphasize the urgent need, “to approve the west London and southwest London schools in order to option school blocks set to expire in the near term.”

Rahman suggested building new schools goes hand in hand with achieving the province’s housing targets, “As London continues to grow, as we continue to work to hit our 47,000 [residential] unit target, we’re going to need more schools.”

The school board has the power to expropriate land for new schools, but Mai warns the process could result in students being crowded into existing schools longer than necessary.

“Expropriation comes with challenges of more time being spent looking for property and more expense,” she explained.

In addition to the proposed letter from council, Mai said parents and community members can contact their local MPPs about the urgent need to get started building the new schools.

“Allowing MPPs to know that it matters to the average community member, especially as we are facing a new provincial budget. That would definitely be helpful,” Mai added.

Members of the council committee will consider Rahman and Hopkins’ motion at a meeting on March 26.