New English school in Saint-Lin-Laurentides breaks ground
A ground-breaking ceremony held Monday kickstarted construction on a new English elementary school in Saint-Lin-Laurentides, about 50 kilometres north of Montreal.
The school is expected to welcome up to 384 students when it opens in September 2024.
Located on 9th Avenue, it will have 16 classrooms, two sensory rooms, a double gymnasium, a library and a playground.
It’s a much-needed addition to a region dealing with overcrowding, according to the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board.
As home prices rise in Montreal, more people have been moving north. The area’s population increased by seven per cent between 2016 and 2021.
"This is not only a significant milestone for our school board, but it also speaks to the growth and vitality of the English-speaking community," board chairperson Paolo Galati said in a release on Monday, adding the community has waited a long time for this school.
A rendering of the new school set to open in September 2024 in Saint-Lin-Laurentides. (Source: Bergeron Thouin Associés)
Saint-Lin-Laurentides Mayor Mathieu Maisonneuve said having more young Anglophones in the town will only enrich the community.
Judith Beaupre, who has two children in an English school, agrees.
"French people are fighting a lot to keep their French, so I guess for English people, it’s the same thing. It’s all about community," she told CTV News.
The school board says it will post updates on its website and communicate with families as the project progresses.
A rendering of the new school set to open in September 2024 in Saint-Lin-Laurentides. (Source: Bergeron Thouin Associés)
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board is the third-largest English school board in Quebec, covering the regions of Laval, Laurentides and Lanaudiere.
The board says this is the first English school built in the area in over a decade.
The provincial government has spent $35.7M on the project.
-With files from CTV's Rob Lurie and Amanda Kline
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre, Guilbeault claim victory after federal budget watchdog's updated carbon tax report
Both the Liberals and Conservatives are claiming a win after the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) released an updated report on the economic impacts of the federal carbon tax on Canadian households.
TD Bank hit with record US$3 billion fine over drug cartel money laundering
TD Bank will pay US$3 billion to settle charges that it failed to properly monitor money laundering by drug cartels, regulators announced Thursday.
DEVELOPING Live updates: Millions without power amid path of destruction left by Hurricane Milton
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and immobilizing critical infrastructure. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Hurricane Milton by the numbers
Hurricane Milton ripped through Florida Wednesday evening, leaving a trail of destruction, flooding and power outages.
Fisher-Price infant swings recalled in Canada after 5 deaths reported
Several models of Fisher-Price infant swings have been recalled in Canada after the company received reports of fatalities link to affected products.
'The View' co-hosts come out swinging at Donald Trump a day after he insulted them
The hosts of ABC's 'The View' clapped back at Donald Trump on Thursday, a day after the Republican nominee for president insulted co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Whoopi Goldberg.
Video shows violent robbery north of Toronto, suspects make off with suitcase full of cash: police
Police north of Toronto have released video of what they’re describing as a violent, targeted robbery in Thornhill, where suspects boxed in the victim’s car and made off with a suitcase filled with cash.
Dozens of tornado warnings were issued ahead of Hurricane Milton. Is that normal?
Florida saw a record number of tornado warnings in a single day Wednesday. An expert says this phenomenon is not unheard of.
Poilievre says 'other ways' to address affordability for seniors than Bloc's proposed pension boost
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says that while his party backed a Bloc Quebecois motion seeking money to boost seniors' benefits, he thinks there are 'other ways' to address affordability for older Canadians.