A funding boost for two local grade schools in Windsor.
The Ontario government is investing a total of $7.6-million in funding for permanent expansions at Glenwood Public School and Roseland Public School.
The school board will receive $3.7-million to support the creation of 184 new student spaces at Glenwood, and $3.9-million to support the creation of 184 spaces at Roseland.
It's expected that Glenwood would see an additional eight classrooms, while Roseland is expected to have 10 classrooms added.
Due to the growing community in South Windsor, both schools are experiencing enrolment pressures and are at capacity currently with Glenwood housing 560 students, and Roseland housing 510 students.
Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh, says with so many local investment projects nearing completion, such as the EV battery plant, it's important to have space for growth.
"When people are looking to locate here, and we want those skilled individuals to come here, they look at everything. They look at the neighbourhoods, they look at the schools, they look at the amenities. A corporate CEO is less concerned about their own bottom line, versus what's experienced for their family. And so that's why it's important that we invest in the amenities, invest in community facilities, to make sure that our neighbourhoods are attractive."
Vicki Houston, Director of Education with the GECDSB, says South Windsor has limited space for additional land projects, and they are facing a growing population.
"We're starting to see a change over from some of the more traditional, older residents, moving out or moving into condo spaces, and younger families starting to move in with children. Both of the school communities are right in the heart of South Windsor, and we are so grateful to the government and to the Ministry [of Education] for providing us with the money to be able to do these expansions right in the current schools."
Houston says these will be permanent additions to both schools.
"Portables are a great space for learning, but that isn't our goal. Our goal is always to have students within the actual building, and this expansion allows us to do that right on the property that we already have instead going and purchasing property somewhere else. When we do have the space available that we can build on, that's always a preference for us to do that."
The school design is expected to come forward to the Board of Trustees in September.
This announcement comes just one day after the province announced a $3.7-million investment to add eight new classrooms at St. Joseph's Catholic High School.
Both of these funding announcements are part of the government's $1.3-billion plan that more than doubles funding to build new schools and expansions, including child care spaces.