Joint investments by Canada and Ontario will upgrade infrastructure to support response to the COVID-19 pandemic and keep students and staff safe
NEWS April 14, 2021
BRANTFORD — The governments of Ontario and Canada are providing $10,069,500.00 for the Grand Erie District School Board and $2,036,235.00 for the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board to upgrade infrastructure at local schools to protect against COVID-19. The funding is being provided through the COVID-19 Reliance Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
The funding for these school boards will support building retrofits, updates and upgrades to their schools and co-located child care facilities. Projects can include HVAC renovations to improve air quality, installing water bottle refilling stations to improve access to safe drinking water, and space reconfigurations such as new walls and doors to enhance physical distancing.
The investments build on the more than $1 billion the Ontario government has invested since 2019 in new schools and child care spaces and additions to provide working families with access to quality, safe, and state-of-the-art learning spaces. Supported by provincial funding, 95% of Ontario schools have reported upgrades or enhancements to their air filtration systems, with over 40,000 HEPA filters and other ventilation devices in classrooms.
The Government of Canada is investing up to $525.2 million towards these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing $131.3 million to the projects.
Annually, the Ontario government invests $1.4 billion in continuous maintenance and improvements to school facilities.
Quotes
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly highlighted, investments in the health and wellness of Ontarians is more critical than ever. Supporting air-quality and other infrastructure projects in schools helps to protect our communities, making them stronger, healthier and safer today, and for years to come.”
Hon. Laurie Scott, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure.
“Ontario’s government is focused on protecting the lives of students, staff, and their families. We put a plan into action that leads the nation — delivering air ventilation improvements to over 95% of schools, 7,000 additional staff, and improved cleaning, testing, and stronger screening. This one-time investment will help improve the safety of schools, building upon Ontario’s annual investment of over $1.4 billion to maintain schools and $550 million to build new schools. We also recognize that in addition to these school-based infrastructure investments, Ontario’s plan to defeat this pandemic includes vaccines for school staff. We have prioritized education staff in high priority communities and all special education staff across the province, and will expand to all staff as supply becomes available.”
Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education
“Today’s funding announcement for the Grand Erie District School Board and the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board is another step forward to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19. This joint funding arrangement with our Federal Government partners shows the pathway to defeat this virus is through cooperation and collaboration with all levels of government. Better air quality and school-based funding is not only beneficial to the schools and students, but benefits the wider community as well.”
Will Bouma, MPP Brantford-Brant
QUICK FACTS
- The COVID-19 Resilience stream will deliver $656.5 million to support individual school board submissions for education related projects.
- The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is a 10-year, $30-billion federal, provincial and municipal program that provides funding to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green; and rural and northern community infrastructure. Ontario is investing $10.2 billion in this program.
- The federal COVID-19 Resilience streamhas been adapted from ICIP to respond to the impacts of COVID-19. This ICIP stream, delivered through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, has been designed to help add flexibilities, expand project eligibility and accelerate approvals.
- Ontario schools have been provided with more than $1.6 billion to better protect students, staff and families from COVID-19 including support for online learning, promoting student mental health, hiring additional staff and investing $100 million ear-marked for immediate improvements to air quality and ventilation.
- Ontario is conducting voluntary targeted testing for asymptomatic students and school staff as an added layer of protection against the transmission of COVID-19.
- The Ontario government invests $550 million annually to build new schools.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect the people of Ontario from COVID-19.
Investing in Canada: Canada’s Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
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For more information, contact MPP Will Bouma at 519-759-0361 or will.bouma@pc.ola.org