The fast-growing London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) has received approval from the Ministry of Education to build three new schools in the region, totaling $173 million before land costs:
$100,540,000 for a new North London Secondary School (1,999 students and 88-space childcare centre)
$31,000,000 for a new Southwest London Elementary School (655 students and 88-space childcare centre)
$41,600,000 for a new St. Thomas Secondary School (826 students)
“We are absolutely thrilled with this support from the Ministry of Education,” said Vince Romeo, Director of Education. “We continue to be focused on the needs of our students, and it shows. We are the fastest growing Catholic school board in Ontario; we are breaking student enrollment figures each year; and we continue to welcome new employees to our system each and every day.”
“We are about to embark on the biggest school construction boom in the history of the LDCSB,” said Gabe Pizzuti, chair of the Board of Trustees. “As a result of unprecedented growth, the Ministry of Education has approved three much needed schools for the London District Catholic School Board.”
The LDCSB continues to be the fastest growing Catholic school board in the province, up more than 1,500 students this year for a total of 27,500. The LDCSB has also hired more than new 1,500 employees over the past couple of years.
To help accommodate the growth, St. Gabriel elementary school in NW London opened in January; elementary schools in NE London and the Komoka-Kilworth area are in the planning stages; and construction on the new Regina Mundi College secondary school is well underway. In the meantime, the LDCSB has added 130 new portables over the past three school years, including more than 50 for the 2024-25 school year.
The Ministry of Education’s Capital Priorities program provides school boards across the province with an opportunity to identify their most urgent and pressing pupil accommodation needs. The Ministry has limited funds available to allocate to school boards, so not all capital priorities receive funding approval.