Investment in Local Schools Boards to Protect Against COVID-19

WOODSTOCK – The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing $10,274,000 to Thames Valley District School Board and $6,455,500 to London District Catholic School Board to upgrade infrastructure at local schools to protect against COVID-19. The funding is being provided through the COVID-19 Reliance Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.

The funding for these school boards will support building retrofits, updates and upgrades to their schools and co-located child care facilities. Projects can include HVAC renovations to improve air quality, installing water bottle refilling stations to improve access to safe drinking water, and space reconfigurations such as new walls and doors to enhance physical distancing.

The investments build on the more than $1 billion the Ontario government has invested since 2019 in new schools and child care spaces and additions to provide working families with access to quality, safe, and state-of-the-art learning spaces. Supported by provincial funding, 95% of Ontario schools have reported upgrades or enhancements to their air filtration systems, with over 40,000 HEPA filters and other ventilation devices in classrooms.

The Government of Canada is investing up to $525.2 million towards these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing $131.3 million to the projects.

Annually, the Ontario government invests $1.4 billion in continuous maintenance and improvements to school facilities.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly highlighted, investments in the health and wellness of Ontarians is more critical than ever,” said Laurie Scott, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure. “Supporting air-quality and other infrastructure projects in schools helps to protect our communities, making them stronger, healthier and safer today, and for years to come.”

“Ontario’s government is focused on protecting the lives of students, staff, and their families. We put a plan into action that leads the nation — delivering air ventilation improvements to over 95% of schools, 7,000 additional staff, and improved cleaning, testing, and stronger screening. This one-time investment will help improve the safety of schools, building upon Ontario’s annual investment of over $1.4 billion to maintain schools and $550 million to build new schools,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education. “We also recognize that in addition to these school-based infrastructure investments, Ontario’s plan to defeat this pandemic includes vaccines for school staff. We have prioritized education staff in high priority communities and all special education staff across the province, and will expand to all staff as supply becomes available.”

“This funding by the provincial and federal governments is excellent news for Oxford’s schools to support critical upgrades and updates, further protect our students and school staff during COVID-19 and help ensure their wellbeing in the years ahead,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “I want to thank Minister Scott and Minister Lecce, as well as the Government of Canada, for this crucial investment which will benefit our entire community now and in the future.”

QUICK FACTS

  • The COVID-19 Resilience stream will deliver $656.5 million to support individual school board submissions for education related projects.
  • The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is a 10-year, $30-billion federal, provincial and municipal program that provides funding to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green; and rural and northern community infrastructure. Ontario is investing $10.2 billion in this program.
  • The federal COVID-19 Resilience stream has been adapted from ICIP to respond to the impacts of COVID-19. This ICIP stream, delivered through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, has been designed to help add flexibilities, expand project eligibility and accelerate approvals.
  • Ontario schools have been provided with more than $1.6 billion to better protect students, staff and families from COVID-19 including support for online learning, promoting student mental health, hiring additional staff and investing $100 million ear-marked for immediate improvements to air quality and ventilation.
  • Ontario is conducting voluntary targeted testing for asymptomatic students and school staff as an added layer of protection against the transmission of COVID-19.
  • The Ontario government invests $550 million annually to build new schools.

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Media inquiries please contact:

Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford

(519) 537-5222