Working with our Don Valley West School Boards

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) plays a vital role in the communities of Ward 15 – Don Valley West. In my first few weeks as City Councillor, I met with the newly-elected Ward 11 – Don Valley West TDSB Trustee, Rachel Chernos-Lin and Trustee Shelly Laskin, who formerly represented Davisville Village.
 
As I hear from residents across the ward, school capacity is a critical issue for the families of Don Valley West, particularly in neighbourhoods experiencing aggressive development. For the past eight years, I've been fighting to establish a moratorium on development in the Yonge-Eglinton neighbourhood until we have adequate school capacity infrastructure to support additional density.
 
I'm pleased to report that the strong community opposition to the proposed development at John Fisher Public School inspired a new TDSB policy on development. The TDSB will now officially oppose development proposals if existing school capacity cannot accommodate new students in the area. I have raised the issue of limited school capacity during the development review process on several occasions, but without direct involvement from the TDSB. Going forward, I'm optimistic that the TDSB's support will help us to secure better outcomes for our communities.
 
This term, I will continue to advocate for the Ontario Government to amend the Education Act to permit the TDSB to collect educational development charges, without burdensome restrictions. The current regulations prevent school boards with excess capacity in any area from accessing the money that developers pay to the schools system when they build new sites. Due to declining enrollment in certain parts of Toronto, the TDSB will never meet this essential requirement. This additional funding could be used to improve school capacity in high-growth areas and support urgent school infrastructure needs. I would encourage you to reach out to your local MPP and the Minister of Education to share your feedback on this issue.