To: Minister of Education Jill Dunlop

CC: Premier Doug Ford

The Town of Wasaga Beach has no high school. Wasaga is seeing extremely high population growth and will see significant residential growth over the next 10 years. There are nearly 25,000 residents in 2023, and 46,000 residents are targeted for 2050. We could achieve that population before 2050 if the pace of growth continues. Between 2016 to 2021, the population increased by 20.3%. There are 3,600+ homes ready to go ahead, many of which will house children, and many more new development applications are being submitted to the Town.

Our children need a public high school to attend in their own community, rather than being bussed to neighbouring towns. The high school is on the list of capital projects for the Simcoe County District School Board, but the Board lacks capital funding from the Ministry of Education. Luckily, there is a serviced site for the high school ready to go, so the Board does not need to buy property. We just need the capital funding to build the school. The Ministry must provide committed capital funding to accelerate the building of the new high school before 2029/30.

The new high school is estimated to cost $23.1 million and will accommodate 777 students. As of October 31, 2022, there are already 651 Wasaga Beach high school students and this number will grow rapidly over the next few years with increased residential growth. All of these students are being bussed to Collingwood (504), Stayner (15), Elmvale (106), and as far away as Angus, Innisfil, and Barrie! They spend long periods of time on a bus instead of playing sports, participating in music/band, or doing extracurricular clubs and activities. Decreasing the number and length of bus trips will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Wasaga Beach.

As of now, the public high school is only scheduled to be opened in the 2029/30 school year. Since the population already supports a high school, why are we waiting another 6-7 years to build and open it? It will take at least 3-4 years to build the school, so even if we started today, there won't be a school until 2027 at the earliest. Without funding, it won't even be built by 2029! Collingwood Collegiate is overfull and the facility, which was built in 1953, is in critical condition and deteriorating fast. Although the Ministry announced funding for a Catholic high school, it will not be able to accommodate all of the students from Wasaga Beach. The time is right to have Wasaga Beach students attend a public high school in their own community, which will also relieve pressure on CCI.

For our kids, for their wellbeing, for their education, sign this petition now! And forward to your relatives and friends.