The investment of $34.3 million for a new French Catholic K-12 school to be built in Winchester is expected to provide 530 student spaces as well as 49 licenced daycare spots. From left: CSDCEO Trustee Jacques Héroux, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP Stéphane Sarrazin, North Dundas Mayor Tony Fraser, Stormont, Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn, CSDCEO Chair Jean LeMay, CSDCEO Director of Education Lyne Racine. Tinkess Photo

WINCHESTER – A new French Catholic elementary and secondary school has been approved for Winchester as part of a province-wide school construction program aimed at addressing enrolment growth and expanding child-care capacity.

The Ontario government announced this week that $34.3 million has been allocated for the construction of École élémentaire et secondaire catholique Winchester, a project expected to provide 530 student spaces from kindergarten to Grade 12, along with 49 licensed child-care spaces.

The school will serve students within the Conseil scolaire de district catholique de l’Est ontarien (CSDCEO) and is intended to address growing demand for French-language Catholic education in the North Dundas area. The facility will be built on a site yet to be acquired in Winchester.

The project is one of 79 school construction initiatives approved across Ontario through the province’s Capital Priorities program. According to the Ministry of Education, the combined investment of $1.6 billion is expected to create more than 29,000 new student spaces and approximately 1,900 licensed child-care spaces province wide.

Stormont-Dundas and South Glengarry MPP Nolan Quinn Made the announcement, on Monday, June 15 at Winchester’s 100 Club Park. He described the new school as an opportunity to expand access to French-language education in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.

“Our community is growing, as the mayor (Tony Fraser) mentioned, and it is critical that our vital infrastructure and services grow right along with it,” said MPP Quinn. “Which is why I am super proud to announce that our government is investing $34.3 billion to build a new French Catholic elementary and secondary school. This new school will bring 530 new K to 12 student spaces, and 49 licensed childcare spaces for SD&G families, expanding access to high quality, French Catholic education right here in our community of Winchester.”

School board officials said the project reflects years of advocacy and consultation within the community.

“We would like to sincerely thank the Ontario government for listening to us and collaborating on this issue, which is so important to the Dundas North community,” said CSDCEO chair Jean Lemay in a statement. He also acknowledged local residents who participated in previous consultations and encouraged continued public involvement as planning moves forward.

Interestingly, the move to a kindergarten-grade 12 model for this new school is the opposite to the approach taken by the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) when they elected to close a large portion of Rothwell-Osnabruck School in Ingleside which had been a JK-Grade 12 school, and bus students to other schools outside their community. Lemay said that the feedback from their parents indicated a preference for the K- grade 12 model.

“Right now, with the success we’re having with this big change that we’ve done, that people will not want us to go back to the old system,” said LeMay. “They find that the grade 7 and 8 that are now in high school, in a pavilion, separate from the high school, they find that they’re better equipped to get into the high school, and they want to continue into the high school. We have found out over the years, since it’s been a number of years now, that the students like it better, and the parents have come back to us as the proceeds, that they like the system as it is now. It’s a change, but it’s a change for the good. We can prepare them better, and they want to stay in their community. So, they want to be able to stay in their own community to do this.”

Superintendent Daniel Lalonde, who will have responsibility for the new school once it is constructed, echoed support for the k-12 model. “So, it’s like one big school with two schools, right,” said Lalonde. “So they’re obviously separate, but, you know, when you talk about pedagogy, when you talk about activities, when you talk about having access to the infrastructure, the gyms, the cafeterias, the auditoriums, you know, having it all in one school, it’s a model that’s more and more popular.

“Before becoming Superintendent, I was a principal in a K- 12 school, and it’s a challenge because, you know, you have the elementary side, the intermediate side, and the high school side, but it goes really well, and, you know, the kids come in at four, and they graduate at 17 and you’ve seen their whole, their whole progress and it’s less transitions. And what we’ve noticed too is that some parents like to have all their kids at the same school, so if you have three, four, five, I’ve seen some with six kids, it’s one school, one starting time, one ending time, and it has its advantages.”

Director of Education Lyne Racine said the future school will help improve access to French-language Catholic education for families in the region while supporting student achievement and community development.

The Capital Priorities program provides funding for new schools, additions, renovations and property acquisitions. This year’s approvals include a mix of new construction projects, expansions and facility upgrades across the province.

The announcement comes as many school boards across Ontario continue to face enrolment pressures, particularly in rapidly growing communities. Access to child-care spaces has also become a significant concern for families as governments work toward expanding availability across the province.

In addition to the new capital funding announced this year, the Ministry of Education says it will continue to provide approximately $1.4 billion annually to school boards for school renewal and maintenance projects.

Construction timelines for the Winchester project have not yet been released, although 2029 has been mentioned as a proposed completion date.  Further details, including the location of the new school site and design plans, are expected to be announced as the project moves through the planning and consultation process.

The province has also approved 12 additional priority projects through its 2026-27 capital program, representing nearly $300 million in future funding commitments for schools deemed ready to proceed.