Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae was in Drayton on May 31 to announce funding for the construction of a brand new Catholic Elementary School.
The $17.3 million dollar investment is part of an announced $1.3 billion in funding for new and enhanced school and childcare spaces unveiled recently by Minister of Education Stephen Lecce. The build will add, according to a media release from Rae, 222 student spaces and 64 childcare spaces.
“As our communities grow, I am focused on working with our local school boards and municipalities to secure generational investments like this one today,” said Rae. “Our provincial government will continue to invest in our rural education system to ensure families can access high quality education and affordable childcare. I want to thank Minister Lecce, Mayor Davidson, Mapleton Council and Staff, and the Wellington Catholic District School Board for making this day a reality.”
"This is an exciting day for the Mapleton community,” said Gregg Davidson, Mayor for the Township of Mapleton. “For many years local families have struggled to find adequate child care for their children. That child care drought is now over as the Provincial Government has rained child care dollars in Mapleton. Additionally, we are getting a brand-new school to support our growing community. Thank you, Minister Lecce, for seeing our need and vision and our local MPP Matt Rae for his advocacy. Our local children and families are benefitting from this funding announcement."
Rae says ensuring that childcare spaces are part of elementary school infrastructure going forward is very important.
"As young kids transition into the educational system, it's a familiar environment for them and it really is a community educational hub in our rural communities, where our young people and our children can feel safe and really focus on the important things. Again, school is there to ensure that our students are getting the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century," Rae stated.
Rae says he meets with the local school boards often in his riding, and he says he's committed to ensuring they have the resources to help students succeed.
"I know some the challenges there, for instance, Listowel is a fast growing community like Drayton is, as well, and obviously student spaces and ensuring childcare spaces are available, those are some of the top of mind needs from our local schools," shared Rae. "It's great that so many people wanna move to our wonderful communities, but obviously, I know I'll continue to advocate to ensure we have those investments to ensure that we're building complete communities. Whether that's schools, hospitals, healthcare, ensuring that we get our fair share of funding."
Moving forward, Rae notes there are many challenges he's committed to helping school boards tackle, especially with many new innovations like enhanced skilled trades education.
"Our government is updating the curriculum to allow high school students in particular, if they're interested in exploring the skilled trades to start that process earlier. But ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to succeed in our rapidly changing world, and ensuring we're teaching an updated curriculum and having the resources to do that," Rae added.
Recently, Rae announced $8.8 million for additional student and childcare spaces at Listowel Eastdale Public Elementary School and $2.9 million for the Milverton Public School.
On May 31, Rae also unveiled $5.8 million for improvements at Listowel St. Mary’s Catholic School. According to Rae, that funding will add an additional 150 student spaces and 98 childcare spaces.
“Our government is more than doubling the funding to build new schools, which represents the single largest investment in school building in Ontario history,” said Minister Lecce. “We are stepping up with a massive investment to build the homes, schools, and communities our province needs, and to ensure children have access to state-of-the-art schools close to home that gives them real life and job skills to succeed in the future. I want to reiterate my thanks to MPP Mathew Rae for his relentless advocacy for local families.”
