ORAZIETTI ANNOUNCES $46.7 MILLION FOR NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN SAULT STE. MARIE McGuinty Government Delivers on New School Facilities and Creates Jobs

Sault Ste. Marie — The McGuinty government is providing the Algoma District School Board with $46.7 million for high school after David Orazietti, MPP announced today that the province will invest an additional $6.6 million in the project.

“This investment will ensure that our community’s senior students are supported for generations to come with an improved learning environment,” said Orazietti. “For the first time in decades, a provincial government is providing the necessary funding to replace aging education facilities with new, state-of-the-art Public, Catholic and French schools in Sault Ste. Marie.”

In 2007, Sir James Dunn C&VS and Bawating C&VS were identified as prohibitive-to-repair by the Algoma District School Board. Orazietti announced provincial funding to construct a new high school which was allocated $40.1 million in August 2009. The additional $6.6 million accounts for site costs and “soft” costs including architectural and design work. With the additional investment, the McGuinty government has now committed $46.7 million toward a new educational facility at Second Line and North Street for grades 7-12.

“We appreciate the work of the ministry staff, MPP David Orazietti and the provincial expert panel made up of representatives from school boards who are very experienced in the construction of new schools. All have helped to ensure the best possible school could be built in Northern Ontario,” said Mario Turco, Director of Education for the Algoma District School Board.

The new school has now been named Superior Heights Collegiate & Vocational School and is expected to open in the fall of 2011. Today’s announcement is part of the McGuinty government’s continuing commitment to support education in Sault Ste. Marie. The McGuinty government has invested an additional $27,927,152 in Sault Ste. Marie schools over the last 6 years despite a decline in enrolment of 4129 students. As a result, per pupil funding is up 50% over the same period.

The construction of a new high school is part of the McGuinty government’s plan to help Sault Ste. Marie emerge from this global recession in a stronger position. During the past year, over $100 million in provincial stimulus funding combined with other provincial initiatives has been committed to our community. These investments will create jobs this construction season and the next, stimulate the economy, and give the community renewed infrastructure that will serve the area for years to come.

Some of the infrastructure projects supported by the McGuinty government in cooperation with the federal government to stimulate Sault Ste. Marie’s economy include:

$408 million new Sault Area Hospital project
Over $70 million for new schools
$24 million for Invasive Species Research Centre
$22 million for a new Algoma Public Health Unit Centre
$16 million for capital upgrades at Sault College
$16 million for Biosciences Centre at Algoma University
$10 million to extend Third Line
$5 million to expand the Hub Trail and Waterfront Walkway to increase recreational opportunities
$5 million to refurbish the Agawa Canyon Tour Train
$4.9 million to improve social housing
$3.3 million to improve local recreation facilities including the YMCA

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