New English school to open next year in Saint-Lin-Laurentides
A new English-language elementary school is opening in Saint-Lin-Laurentides, about 50 kilometres north of Montreal.
It'll be ready for the 2024 school year and it will be a welcome addition to an overcrowded system.
According to the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, the last time a new anglophone school opened in the area was more than a decade ago so this new one — with 16 classrooms, a double gym, sensory rooms, and a playground — is welcome.
"The construction of a new English school is so exciting. It's exciting news," said Paolo Galati, chair of the school board.
The school board says most of its schools in the Lower Laurentian and Lanaudière regions are overcrowded, with Laurentia Elementary School in Saint-Jérôme operating at 163 per cent capacity.
"They had to give up their library for a classroom and the library is now in a narrow hallway. Totally, totally unacceptable," Galati said.
The $27-million project will be able to accommodate close to 400 students, and for some, it will be much closer to home. Galati says it will also help with increasing enrollment as more anglophones are moving up north.
"We noticed that, in total, the entire population went up 6.8 per cent from 2016 to 2021. Those are stats from Stats Canada," said Vanessa Savella, the executive director of English Community Organization of Lanaudiere.
It's an increase some believe is likely influenced by the cost of housing. A recent report from the Quebec professional association of real estate brokers shows the average home price in Montreal was $700,000 last month, compared to $474,000 north of Laval.
"A lot of our buildings are older, they are wonderful learning environments but they're old," said Kathy Korakakis, president of Quebec's English Parents' Committee Association.
"Windows don't open, walls aren't great, paint is not great so it's just a wonderful environment when it's fresh and new. It's conducive to learning."
Crews are expected to break ground for the new school in the coming weeks before its expected opening in 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.