The Ontario government is putting up $19.9-million for the construction of a new elementary school in Meaford.
The new Bluewater District School Board facility will have space for up to 340 students, as well as 54 childcare spaces. It’s expected to open by September 2029.
Bluewater District School Board Superintendent of Business Services Andrew Low says the new school will host Kindergarten to Grade 3 students. He says it will be built on a property the school board owns at 87 Aiken Street, which was formerly a sports field and track for the previous Georgian Bay Secondary School.
“We’re just working with the town of Meaford and preparing that land for the build,” Low says.
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Progressive Conservative MPP Paul Vickers announced the funding for the new school in his home community of Meaford in a news release Wednesday morning.
“This is a great day for the community of Meaford,” Vickers says in a statement. “I have heard from many parents in the Meaford area about the capacity issues at the current Georgian Bay Community School, so today’s announcement shows that our government sees this challenge and is responding accordingly.”
Georgian Bay Community School in Meaford is a Kindergarten to Grade 12 school that opened in 2021. The province spent $29.6-million on that two-storey facility, which offers just over 1,000 student spaces and an EarlyON Child and Family Centre room.
The funding for a new elementary school in Meaford is coming from the province’s Capital Priorities Program, which supports the construction of new schools, permanent additions and renovations.
“We are very pleased to receive such positive news that our business case for a new elementary school with childcare space in Meaford has been approved by the Ministry of Education,” says Bluewater District School Board Chair Jane Thomson. “Since the opening of the new GBCS almost five years ago, student enrolment pressure has continued to increase due to growth in the Meaford area. We are grateful to the ministry for this significant investment to secure a long-term sustainable solution for future generations of students, and to our staff and community partners whose diligence, hard work, and advocacy have supported the vision.”
Meaford Mayor Ross Kentner: “Meaford is growing, and more young families are choosing to build their lives here. This new elementary school is an investment that matches that momentum and strengthens our community for the next generation. It will give local children a dedicated place to learn and thrive, and I applaud the school board and the Province for moving quickly on this approval to support Meaford’s growth.”