The Capital Strategy identifies new schools, additions to schools and replacement school requirements and will serve as the basis for the Board’s multi-year capital funding request to the Ministry of Education.
The goals of the Capital Strategy are provided below. The implementation of each goal is subject to Ministry of Education approvals and funding.
- To provide community schools for all students wherever possible
- To provide permanent accommodation to match sustainable community growth in a timely fashion
- To minimize the reliance on portable accommodation
- To replace older school facilities where conditions warrant
- To utilize excess capacity within the system wherever practical
- To combine schools and/or undertake pupil accommodation reviews where circumstances warrant according to Policy #463, Pupil Accommodation Review
Projects for Submission to the Ministry of Education (Timeline TBD)*
Elementary
| 2021 |
Sharon PS (Replacement/New School) |
East Gwillimbury |
Growth/Replacement |
638 |
| 2021 |
Aurora 2C ES |
Aurora |
Growth |
638 |
| 2021 |
Kleinburg/Nashville ES |
Vaughan |
Growth |
638 |
Secondary
| 2023 |
Block 11 SS |
Vaughan |
Growth |
TBD |
| 2023 |
Oak Ridges SS (Dr. Bette Stephenson addition) |
Richmond Hill |
Growth |
TBD |
*The Ministry of Education has not identified the next opportunity to submit capital funding requests.
** Subject to Ministry of Education funding approval. School opening dates are based on a minimum of 2-3 years for elementary and 4-5 years for secondary, from date of approval.
Emerging Projects
| 2022 |
Markham Centre ES |
Markham |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| 2022 |
North Leslie ES |
Richmond Hill |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| 2022 |
Oak Ridges East #1 ES |
Richmond Hill |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| 2022 |
Queensville ES |
East Gwillimbury |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
Block 40 ES (South site) |
Vaughan |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
Cornell ES |
Markham |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
Holland Landing ES |
East Gwillimbury |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
King City ES |
King City |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
New School/Adrienne Clarkson PS (Addition) |
Markham / Richmond Hill |
Growth |
TBD |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
Newmarket SE ES |
Newmarket |
Growth |
TBD |
|---|
| Post 2022 |
Stouffville NW ES |
Whitchurch-Stouffville |
Growth |
638 |
|---|
| Post 2023 |
Stouffville DSS (Addition) |
Whitchurch-Stouffville |
Growth |
TBD |
|---|
Emerging projects are listed in alphabetical order by year.
Proposed Pupil Accommodation Reviews
As of October 2015, the Board operated three very small schools with an enrolment less than 100 students: Queensville Public School, J.L.R. Bell Public School, and Stornoway Crescent Public School. As outlined in the 2015-2019 Capital Strategy, Queensville Public School will eventually be replaced once new growth occurs in the community. In the event that development is delayed, or the number of units significantly reduced, then staff would reassess the need for a pupil accommodation review process for the East Gwillimbury planning area.
Both J.L.R. Bell Public School and Stornoway Crescent Public School are projected to remain at their current enrolment levels. Staff is proposing that pupil accommodation reviews be considered for Newmarket Central (J.L.R. Bell Public School) and Markham Thornhill (Stornoway Crescent Public School). Accommodation solutions for J.L.R. Bell Public School and Stornoway Crescent Public School will be found within the broader geographic planning area. Determining which schools in the planning area should be included in the review will be part of a separate report (Initial Staff Report) to the Board of Trustees as described in Board Policy #463, Student Accommodation Review.
Future Student Accommodation
Planning staff review new residential development applications across the entire Region to ensure adequate pupil accommodation. We work with municipalities and developers to designate school sites in areas of significant residential development, several years, or decades, before a new home is even constructed.
The Board reviews accommodation priorities on an annual basis, and depending on the anticipated timelines for development, we establish areas where school accommodation pressures are most imminent. Notwithstanding the Board’s ability to designate a school site in an area of residential development, the construction of a school is based on availability of the school site from the developer, a threshold of students in the area, pupil places available in neighbouring schools including portable usage, and funding from the Ministry of Education.
If you are looking to move to a new York Region community, please inquire with Planning Services staff regarding the status of a school site in a development plan.