East Gwillimbury (EG) is the fastest-growing municipality in Canada (according to the 2022 Census), with a 44% increase in population from 2016 to 2021, and it continues to grow. Yet, it still does not have its own public high school. Currently, all EG high school students are accommodated at J.M. Denison and Huron Heights Secondary Schools, but East Gwillimbury urgently needs its own high school to accommodate its growing student population.

Funding for a new school in Ontario comes from the Province. The process for the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) to obtain funding from the Province for new school construction lags behind demand. The Province typically does not fund new schools until the existing holding schools are at or over capacity. East Gwillimbury’s holding high schools are currently J.M. Denison and Huron Heights. According to my conversation with YRDSB, these schools are at 103% and 76% capacity, respectively.

The growth in East Gwillimbury over the past 10 years has been driven primarily by families with young children, and this trend continues. This is supported by the high demand and enrollment in elementary schools in Holland Landing, Sharon, Queensville, and Mt. Albert. These children will soon reach high school age, and if we don’t act now to secure funding and build a community high school in East Gwillimbury, they will be forced to attend the soon-to-be overcrowded holding schools.

It takes 4-5 years from the time of funding approval to site approval, design, and construction of a new high school. If we don’t act now to plan and secure funding for an East Gwillimbury community high school, many of our children currently attending elementary school will miss out on the much-needed EG community high school.

I have contacted the Mayor and local councillors on this matter, and their response has been that they will seek every opportunity to advocate for an East Gwillimbury high school. YRDSB has advised that it cannot apply for provincial funding until the capacity of the holding schools reaches full capacity. I also contacted our local MPP, Caroline Mulroney, and was informed that the school board has not yet requested funding. However, YRDSB cannot do so until all the criteria are met.

If you want our children to attend their own EG community high school in the coming years, please help by signing this petition and contacting our MPP, Caroline Mulroney, to urge the province to invest in an East Gwillimbury community high school now. Please also encourage your local elected officials to advocate to the province on this matter.