Province announces funding for new Ottawa-area schools

Several of Ottawa's school boards are getting significant investments to buildnew schools in the city's suburbs.

By far the largest pot of money announced last week by the Ontario governmentwill go to the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB), which is receiving more than $117 million to be divided amongfour school-related projects.

The board is getting$87 million for the creation of a high school and elementary school in the Fernbank area, both of which are meant to address the "rapidly growing Stittsville community," local MPP Goldie Ghamari said in a Friday press release.

The OCSB is also gettingmore than $20 million for the new Mer Bleue Elementary School, plus$10 million for the expansion of Richmond's St. Philip Catholic Elementary School.

'Historic day,' says board chair

"Today's announcement marks an historic day," said board chair Mark Mullanon Friday.

"We've seen incredible accommodation pressures on our west-end high schools, and the new Fernbank High School will address these pressures."

Both elementary schools will include child-care centres.

In total, the funding is expected to create more than 2,700 spaces for students, and 78 child care spaces within the English Catholic school board.

None of the school's names are final, according to a board spokesperson.

4 new French schools

On the French side, the province is investing more than $40 million with the Conseil des coles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) so they can build a newsecondary school in Riverside South.

Meanwhile, the Conseil des coles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO), the French-language public school board, will see nearly $15 million for a new Leitrim-area elementary school near Kelly Farm and Barrett Farm drives.

It's also getting more than $52 million for secondary schools in Orlans and Clarence-Rockland, Ont.

The four new French schoolswill create more than 2,300 new spaces for students,with the Leitrim-areaschool also having 49 child-care spaces.

No announcement was made Friday regarding funding for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the largest board in the city.