New provincial/federal funding will be used to further upgrade local schools and their infrastructure to provide additional protection against transmission of COVID-19.
The funding is being provided through the COVID-19 Reliance Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
For the three school boards serving Hastings-Lennox and Addington, the new funding amounts to $15,562,000. The Limestone District School Board will receive $5,161,500, Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board will receive $5,925,000, and the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board total is $4,475,500. The boards will decide the allocations to their schools.
“We welcome this new funding locally as we continue to respond to the latest recommendations on keeping schools safe with infrastructure improvements,” said Hastings-Lennox and Addington MPP Daryl Kramp. “Nothing is more important than keeping our next generation safe.”
The funding will support building retro-fits, updates and upgrades to 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 re-configurations 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.
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) is a 10-year, $30-billion federal, provincial and partner program that provides funding to improve public transit; community, culture and recreation; green; and rural and northern community infrastructure. Ontario is investing over $10.2 billion in this program. This ICIP stream, delivered through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories, has been designed to help add flexibilities, expand project eligibility and accelerate approvals.