Local leaders call on Ontario to boost school repair funding

Union leaders and politicians are calling on the province to invest more money into school repairs and improvements. CTV’s Krista Simpson reports.

Union leaders and local politicians are calling for the provincial government to invest more in Ontario schools, using the case of a Waterloo school that had to abruptly close earlier this year as an example.

A press conference was held Monday outside Elizabeth Ziegler Public School. Metal fencing, that has surrounded the school since the closure in early March, served as the backdrop for their message.

“This building is a clear example of what happens when governments fail to invest in the infrastructure our children rely on every single day,” said Jeff Pelich, the president of the Waterloo Region chapter of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario.

• Timeline: What happened at Elizabeth Ziefler Public School?

The school was suddenly shut down after a piece of the front façade fell, raising concerns about the building’s structural integrity. Further investigations revealed just how serious the problems were, requiring a full closure until repairs can be completed. The latest estimate from the Waterloo Region District School Board suggested the school would reopen in September 2027.

Students who should be attending the school now have to attend other schools, with most being bused daily to Sandowne Public School.

“There’s definitely some kids who have openly said this transition has been hard. And we should hear that,” said Debra Tak, a parent of two Elizabeth Ziegler students.

Tak also said what happened at Elizabeth Ziegler should be a cautionary tale.

“It’s something that absolutely could happen somewhere else.”

A report released last December by Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office found that 37.4 per cent of the province’s schools were not in a state of good repair.

It also estimated the cost to change that would be $6.5 billion.

“Delaying these investments means higher costs down the road and worsening conditions,” said Aislinn Clancy, MPP for Kitchener Centre.

Union leaders and politicians speaking Monday also called for more than just structurally safe buildings.

“Students are expected to learn in conditions that are less than ideal,” Jenn Wallage, president of the local union representing designated early childhood educators, said. “They are sweltering in schools with no air conditioning. They are fighting for space in classrooms that are too small, that do not provide the space needed for learning.”

“The crisis in Ontario public schools that we bear witness to here today in Waterloo Region requires investments in small class sizes, increased staffing and well maintained school buildings,” said David VandenBerg, president of the local chapter of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.

There’s also a call for improved staffing at school buildings.

Union leaders say it was a custodian who initially noticed the crumbling façade at Elizabeth Ziegler, but they warn these workers are stretched thin.

“We’re looking to see that we can receive the funding that we need to be able to do the jobs that we love to do and to the standards that we want to meet,” said Gregory Patterson, president of the local custodial and maintenance association.

“This call to action is for the entire province. But right now, Waterloo is ground zero,” said Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife.

Tak hopes the government hears the message to invest in things that may not seem flashy or exciting, but are important.

“There’s still just a lot of grieving in terms of what’s been lost in this community with the school being closed. It’s more than just a building, it’s a student community, a parent community. And we’re just hoping that someday everyone will be able to congregate here again as a community,” Tak said.

The provincial government said they have earmarked billions of dolalrs for construction and improvements at schools.

“After decades of neglect from previous governments we are investing more than any other government in Ontario’s history when it comes to the repair, renewal, and construction of new schools,” an email from Emma Testani, press secretary for Minister of Education Paul Calandra, said. “Over the next 10 years, we’re investing about $23 billion to support school construction, renewal, and improvement. Across the province there are currently more than 250 active school projects on the go, representing over 125,000 student spaces, including 7 projects in the Kitchener/Waterloo area.”