4.2 Investigation Report — French-language schools in the Greater Toronto Area: When the most elementary becomes secondary
Investigation Report on Elementary Education in Toronto
| Year | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Issue | Complaints about a perceived shortage of French-language schools in the Greater Toronto Area |
| Impact following FLSC’s intervention | New government funding for construction, expansion and renovation of schools following the 2011 investigation report |
| Current status | Waiting for a response to the recommendations in the 2016 follow-up report by the Commissioner’s Office, including amendment of the regulation on the disposition of surplus real property |
According to recent Ministry of Education data, enrolment in the French-language school boards has grown rapidly in the last 10 years. In Southern Ontario alone, it is up by nearly 10,000. This is an increase of about 30%. Since the French-language school system in Southern Ontario does not have the capacity to absorb such a large number of students, this situation has become a very serious problem.
The situation has generated many complaints to the Commissioner’s Office about an apparent shortage of French-language schools to meet the growing needs. Following an investigation, the Commissioner published an investigation report in 2011 entitled French-language schools in the Greater Toronto Area: When the most elementary becomes secondary,47 in which he urged the Ministry of Education to provide funding for the construction of new schools.
Effectiveness of the intervention
In its response to the investigation report,48 the Ministry confirmed in February 2012 that it would allocate $700 million to the acquisition or expansion of French-language schools.
- 1 elementary school in southern Etobicoke for CS Viamonde
- 1 elementary school in southern Scarborough for CS Viamonde
- 1 addition to an elementary school (Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau) in Toronto for CS Viamonde
- 1 secondary school in Toronto for CS Viamonde
- 1 new elementary school in The Beaches for CSDC Centre-Sud
- 1 new elementary school in Etobicoke for CSDC Centre-Sud
- 1 new elementary school in Stouffville for CSDC Centre-Sud
- 1 new secondary school in Stouffville for CSDC Centre-Sud (built on the JK-12 model)
In November 2015, the Ministry invested a further $500 million in the construction or upgrading of 56 schools, including three French-language school projects in the Greater Toronto Area.49
In the spring of 2016, the Conseil scolaire catholique de district Centre-Sud received funding for the construction of a new 500-student school in Scarborough. In addition, more than $62 million was allocated in the summer of 201650 for renovations to the schools of the province’s 12 French-language school boards.
47. For more details, see https://csfontario.ca/en/articles/185 (page consulted in March 2017).
48. For more details, see https://csfontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/GTA-schools-ministry-response.pdf (page consulted in March 2017).
49. A new Catholic elementary school in Mississauga, a new public elementary school (Académie de la Moraine) in Richmond Hill, and reconstruction of École secondaire publique Gaétan-Gervais in Oakville.
50. For more details, see http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/791483/ecoles-investissement-refection-ontario (in French only) (page consulted in March 2017).