The opening of a new Catholic elementary school in Orléans has been delayed at least a year due to servicing issues at the location. The Ontario government announced $20.3 million in funding for the Mer Bleue Elementary School in June 2024. The proposed Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school will have 507 spaces for students and 39 licensed child care spaces. A report for Tuesday’s Ottawa Catholic School Board meeting says the school will not open for September 2026 as previously planned. “We continue to experience servicing issues with the plan of subdivision (located within expansion lands) that contains our reserved site,” staff said. “The development of these lands is dependent upon a permanent new stormwater outlet into McKinnon’s Creek. We have been working diligently over the past year with Mattamy Homes, City staff, and local engineering firms to firm up a temporary servicing plan that will move this project forward.” Staff say the school board is now working toward a September 2027 opening date for the school. The proposed Mer Bleue Elementary School is expected to impact the student populations of Our Lady of Wisdom, St. Kateri Tekakwitha and Chapel Hill Elementary schools. It will be located on Jerome Jodoin Drive, south of Sweetclover Way.
