Relief for Willowdale’s chronically over-crowded schools could be on the way now that a funding freeze on the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has been recently lifted, thanks to the board agreeing to sell off a raft of lands that is said to include local properties.
The province recently announced that it lifted its freeze on TDSB capital project funding, which it said it would only do on the condition that the board submit an acceptable operating and capital budget.
Now, TDSB can once again submit requests to the Ministry of Education to free up funds for building new schools and expansions.
Mari Rutka, the trustee for Willowdale, said she hopes the board now follows through with long-standing plans to alleviate over-enrolment at schools that are “beyond full,” including Avondale Public School.
“I feel we have an extremely strong case for needing a school in the Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue area,” she said. “But I will feel a whole lot better when there are shovels in the ground.”
Rutka said that the very earliest the neighbourhood could expect a new school is likely December 2016.
Rutka confirmed that trustees voted to sell some TDSB lands, which may include some schools, to change the ministry’s mind. She was unable to confirm which ones were to be sold because the vote was confidential.
However, the Toronto Star reported that North York’s Sir Sandford Fleming Academy near Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue could be one of 11 sites sold to create revenue for the board.
Despite the progress made, Minister of Education Liz Sandals noted in a prepared statement that Toronto schools are still not out of the red.
The Ministry made financial planning recommendations to the board, including tracking staff attendance, increasing fees for sports facility rentals and reducing staff through voluntary retirement.
“It is vital that the TDSB build on the good work they have done … and continue to seek further opportunities for improvement,” she said.