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Local Francophone school receives Ministry funding to boost child care

October 1, 2019   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Baker

Staff from Dufferin County’s only French language school were delighted to learn last week that an investment from the provincial government will allow the facility to increase its space and expand its programming. 

This past Friday, Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones was on hand at Ecole elementaire des Quatres-Rivieres to announce the approval of a project that will allow a retrofit of existing school space, create three new child care rooms, making room for 49 new child care spaces at the local school. In addition, the funding will help create two EarlyON Child and Family Centre rooms. 

“This funding will go towards revitalizing the school and (will provide) additional child care spaces that our community needs,” Ms. Jones stated. “The investment will make a difference for everyone – students, staff and families at Ecole des Quatre-Rivieres.”

Sylvie Landry, Chair of the Ecole elementaire des Quatre-Rivieres Board, noted the provincial investment would help the local Francophone school to meet the needs of the community.

“We are pleased that the government is providing this investment to increase childcare in Orangeville and its surrounding areas. Francophone families, more and more numerous in the region, wish to entrust their youth to professionals working in a Francophone environment,” Ms. Landry stated. “This grant will enable us to offer them services that meet their needs.”

During the roll-out of the 2019 Ontario budget, the Ford government announced planned investments of nearly $13 billion in capital grants to the education over the next ten years, including allocating over $500 million this year to specifically improve classrooms for children across the province. The Ministry of Education is currently accepting submissions from school boards for their top ten school-based capital priorities for funding consideration, as well as support for the expansion of childcare spaces.

In a release to media, Education Minister Stephen Lecce noted he was pleased to be able to follow through with investments in Orangeville.

“Our government is fully committed to French language education in Ontario,” Mr. Lecce stated. “I am proud that our government is financing the expansion of Ecole elementaire des Quatre-Rivieres, demonstrating its commitment to local students and the protection of French language today and into the future.”

He added, “From modernizing our curriculum, to revitalizing our classrooms and facilities, we are investing in our students and giving them every tool to achieve their full potential. Our financing of a retrofit and additional child care rooms further demonstrates our governments investment in capital projects and our overall commitment to supporting public education in Ontario.”

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