The province is giving a local school board the green light to rebuild one of Ontario’s oldest elementary schools.
The Ontario government has given its approval for the Simcoe County District School Board to rebuild Shanty Bay Public School. It is also providing the project with $13 million in new funding, on top of previous investments worth about $5.9 million.
In a press statement, Minister of Education Jill Dunlop said the new facility would be “state-of-the-art.”
“Our government is listening to parents, which is why we took action, and we are proud to deliver a new, state-of-the-art Shanty Bay Public School for local families, along with increasing funding, staffing and a back-to-basics focus on reading, writing and math to help ensure students graduate with the fundamental skills they need to succeed.”
According to a school administrator, the new facility will be the third building to house the school since its founding in the 1860s. The existing one was constructed in 1955. Efforts to replace it began in 2020 when the school board determined it was substandard and would require prohibitively expensive renovations to fix.
Currently, the school is home to 185 students and 18 staff members, including educators, administrators and custodians. The new facility is expected to house a maximum of 190 students and will have a somewhat increased staff count.
In the statement, Attorney General Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, described the move as “great news” for the Shanty Bay community.
“Since taking office, I, alongside with the team of parents, students and educators, have advocated for this school to remain in the Shanty Bay community. This investment will ensure families and students have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead.”
