Dalton and Dave deliver $12 million to Algoma

The following are news releases issued by Sault MPP David Orazietti and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF).

Orazietti is a former OSSTF local president.

We've also added a release received late Friday afternoon from from Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Mike Brown. ********************** Orazietti announces over $12 million for Sault Ste. Marie and area

School infrastructure improvements

McGuinty Government plan great news for local students

Sault Ste. Marie - A massive province-wide renewal effort will give Sault Ste. Marie schools the revitalization needed to help our students succeed, David Orazietti, MPP announced today.

Students here will soon have better places to learn because of the McGuinty Government's commitment to reinvest in the future of Ontario.

The good news for Sault Ste. Marie follows Premier Dalton McGuinty’s announcement of a $280 million amortization fund, available to school boards across the province, to leverage financing for $4 billion worth of repairs, additions and replacement schools. The following funding has been provided for Sault and Area Boards of Education:

Algoma District School Board - $8,606,546

Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board - $3,534,484

"For students in our community to reach their full potential they need to be able to learn in the best possible environment we can provide," said Orazietti.

"Our plan, Good Places To Learn. will further help to ensure that our schools are clean, safe and in good repair."

Boards are being notified of their phase one allocations today, so they can start repairs as early as this summer.

Phase two allocations will fund further improvements, expansion and replacement schools.

For students across Ontario, today’s announcement means:

- $556 million worth of roofs that don’t leak,

- $291 million worth of windows that open and close properly

- $211 million for heating and cooling that works

- $209 million worth of plumbing to ensure sinks and toilets don't back up, and

- additional money for septic systems, boilers, fire alarms and extinguishers, and other urgently needed items

"Our government committed to making education a top priority and today's investment in Sault Ste Marie will have positive results for students by enhancing their learning environment, improving the working conditions for those in the education sector and by providing positive economic spin-offs," said Orazietti.

Students attending schools in Sault Ste Marie operated by Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario based in Sudbury will also receive school renewal funding through the provincial government.

******************** Our schools are in a condition of crisis, says OSSTF

TORONTO, Feb. 17 - "Our crumbling schools desperately need this investment," said Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) President, Rhonda Kimberley-Young in response to the government announcement of a $280 million annual fund to fix schools.

"Many of our schools are in a condition of crisis," Kimberley-Young added. Ontario has steadily fallen behind other jurisdictions in education funding over the course of the last ten years. Consequently, every aspect of the school system has been negatively impacted.

"In every school board and in every school you can see the deteriorating condition as a result of these cuts," commented Kimberley-Young.

"This must be the first step in addressing the poor learning condition of Ontario schools." The announcement appears to begin to address the inadequacies in the funding formula.

This transforms a previous commitment of $200 million for school repairs to $280 million. In a recent presentation to the Finance Standing Committee, Kimberley-Young said, "Core funding is critical to the success of our education system. OSSTF would argue that when you are building a house you cannot start with the interior decoration and upgrades while neglecting the foundation."

This funding to support our school buildings is one step toward that foundation but the teachers and support staff who provide direct service to students are the critical components in delivering quality public education and the minister must not overlook investment in the people who work in Ontario's schools.

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 50,000 members across Ontario.

They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education instructors, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, attendance counsellors, and many others in education.

******************* Brown announces funding for school repairs

Government’s plan will make possible $4 Billion worth of repairs

A massive province-wide renewal effort will give Algoma region schools the facelift needed to help our students succeed, announced Mike Brown, M.P.P. for Algoma-Manitoulin.

Students in Algoma region will soon have better places to learn as a result of the Ontario Government’s announcement of a $280 million amortization fund, available to school boards across the province, to leverage financing for $4 billion worth of repairs, additions and replacement schools.

"Students have a much better chance at success when they learn in schools that are clean, safe and in good repair," said Brown.

"This announcement means that school boards will now be able to move ahead with needed repairs and upgrades to our schools."

Every Ontario school board will receive a payment now to allow them to access financing for repairs worth a total of $4 billion, which the province will pay off over 25 years by making annual payments to the boards.

Algoma District School Board will receive $626,046 as part of this allocation to leverage $8,606,546 worth of repairs to its schools.

The Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board will receive $257,101 to leverage $3,534,484 in repairs, the Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario will receive $557,094 to leverage $7,658,633 in repairs and Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l’Ontario will receive $185,970 to leverage $2,556,615 in repairs.

Boards are being notified of their phase one allocations today, so they can start repairs as early as this summer.

Phase two allocations will fund further improvements, expansion and replacement schools.

"This announcement will provide our students with roofs that don’t leak, windows that open and close properly, and heating and cooling systems that work," said Brown.

"Ontario's schools will get the benefit of $4 billion worth of repairs now, and the province will pay for those repairs over 25 years."

The government is also scrapping the previous government’s funding formula, which forced boards to close a school in order to build a new one.

This follows after the government’s commitment last September to provide $31 million in new funding to help keep small Northern and rural schools open.

"Better schools, and fewer school closures, will mean less disruption and a more positive learning environment for our students and better working conditions for our educators," said Brown.

"Students should be able to receive an education in their own community and in a school that is well maintained."

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