By Staff
March 8th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Marianne Meed Ward, city Councillor for ward 2 and Central high school member on the PARC said this morning that “We are disappointed with the vote of course, but now there’s an opportunity for the current government to bring forward its own motion for a moratorium on school closures and current PARs underway, including in Burlington. Recall that was one of the first steps former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty took when he gained office.”
Marianne Meed Ward at a media event at Queen’s Park with leader of the Opposition Patrick Brown.
Meed Ward sat in the public gallery of the provincial Legislature and listened to the debate on a motion brought by the leader of the Opposition, Progressive Conservative Patrick Brown. Earlier in the day she took part in a press conference with Brown.
“A huge benefit of our visit: said Meed Ward is that “all party leaders have now gotten our message that this is not just a rural issue: communities across the GTA and 905 are facing potential school closures. We also outlined 13 ways the provincial funding formula and broken PAR process needs to be fixed, detailed in our Open Letter hand delivered to all party leaders.”
Meed Ward was also able to meet with Burlington MPP Hon. Eleanor McMahon yesterday evening.
“I ended up going back to Queen’s Park for the impromptu meeting, and unfortunately missed last night’s public meeting, but felt the meeting with our MPP was the best way to serve the community.
“Three of us had a two hour meeting after the vote with Eleanor and a staff member working on PARs in Education Minister Hon. Mitzie Hunter’s office after the vote.
“We shared our concerns about the process, detailed in our open letter. We asked for her to work with her colleagues for a moratorium on school closures and current PARs underway until the funding formula and process can be fixed.
Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon at her first public event after being made a member of the Wynn cabinet.
“McMahon was very receptive, listened intently to our concerns and asked a lot of questions. She is committed to bringing the issues we raised back to caucus and her Liberal colleagues for discussion. We are very grateful for the time she gave us” said Meed Ward
“It was a full day with ups and downs said Meed Ward “but it was time very well spent. We made progress on elevating the discussion to the real issues: a broken provincial funding formula and PAR process that will not deliver the best outcome for students or our communities in both rural and urban areas. We need a moratorium on school closures and PARs until what’s broken can be fixed.”
McMahon has yet to make a statement on what her party will do about a moratorium on the Program Accommodation Review taking place in Burlington. Her office did put out a media release on International Women’s Day.
If that’s the case then Mitzie Hunter should publicly apologize to all Burlington parents and students; and it wound’t hurt Eleanor McMahon to provide some clarity.
Read the news release published on Eleanor McMahon’s website last year with comments courtesy of Eleanor McMahon and Mitzie Hunter.
Local News July 06, 2016
Ontario Investing $24 Million to Improve Schools in Halton Region
Province Making Historic School Infrastructure Investment
Ontario is investing an additional $24-million in Halton Region over the next two years to repair and renew schools for a total investment of $71-million to ensure that they continue to be safe and modern places for students to learn.
The funding will enable local schools boards to repair roofs, update HVAC units and modernize electrical and plumbing systems. It will also significantly improve more visible elements of schools that impact students’ learning and well-being, including flooring, walls, ceilings, playing fields and more.
The province is investing and additional $1.1 billion in school infrastructure across the province, which builds on $1.6 billion in existing funding that has been allocated for repairs and renewals over the next two school years, for a total of $2.7 billion.
This investment in school repair and renewal in Halton is part of the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history — about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals.
Giving students the best possible learning environment is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number one priority — growing the economy and creating jobs. The four-part plan includes investing in talent and skills, including helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit in Ontario’s history and is investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. In addition, the plan is helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.
QUOTES
“Our government continues to support Burlington students with significant investments in better schools for better learning. This is an important investment for local student achievement and well-being, and a boost for our local economy.”
— Eleanor McMahon, MPP for Burlington
“Investing in our schools is one of the most important infrastructure investments we can make for nearly two million students in Ontario. Our government believes in better buildings for better learning and well-being. Making sure schools across the province are in a state of good repair is an essential part of supporting student achievement. The investment announced today is great news for students, educators, communities, and the economy.”
— Mitzie Hunter, Minister of Education
QUICK FACTS
This funding is being allocated to school boards in proportion to their renewal needs. Information about school board allocations will be available in the coming weeks. To support transparency in this historic investment, the province will publicly post detailed information regarding the condition and renewal needs of each of Ontario’s 4,900 public schools.
This funding represents an increase in funding for elementary and secondary school renewal of $500 million for the 2015-16 school year and $575 million for the 2016-17 school year.
This new funding addresses the Auditor General of Ontario’s recommendations in 2015 to increase investment in school renewal to 2.5 per cent of schools’ replacement value and to direct two-thirds of infrastructure investment in schools to renewal over new construction.
Since 2003, the province has invested more than $14 billion in school infrastructure, including nearly 760 new schools and more than 735 additions and renovations.
The province is providing school boards with more than $12 billion over 10 years to help build new schools in areas of high growth, improve the condition of existing schools and invest in projects to reduce surplus space through school consolidations.
https://eleanormcmahon.onmpp.ca/News/12606?rc=l&l=EN
$24 Million ear-marked specifically for Halton Region Schools 2016-2018 – really?
Ticker symbol MMW stock climbs on todays news, other trading at Burlington city hall is down due to stale outlooks for this quarter. Canadian shareholders disappointed at overall outlook from board members.
Perfectly said David!
Sitting all day in the legislature yesterday and watching the Liberal MPPs heckle when Patrick Brown was speaking about respecting Ontario students and families, hearing them mock people and shout things out loud in a rude, childish manner was not a pretty sight. Several even shouted out that they blame the whole thing on Mike Harris. Hey, Liberals – you’ve had 13 1/2 years to make it right. Pretty disgraceful. Mitzie Hunter and Kathleen Wynne spent the entire day openly laughing.
Lynn Crosby, Marianne said that you were also in that 2 hour meeting she had with our MPP – so what are you complaining about?
I certainly wouldn’t want the province to take away decision making powers from our own Burlington community. Why would you want the government to tell us in Burlington how our schools should be run?
If you did your homework, you’d remember that the Harris government just let schools close without ANY public input. Also, a motion by any party doesn’t have any bearing whatsoever; Patrick Brown is just using you guys for his own political gain. A few weeks from now it won’t even be brought up in Question Period!
This comment has been edited – offensive language removed. We note that the writer does not appear to have the courage of his convictions – uses a nickname.
I am very pleased about the support. All schools deserve to remain open. From start to end this has been an embarrassment. But why does our MPP get involved now? We haven’t heard a word from her throughout the whole process. Nothing. Now, because she voted with her party, defeating the moratorium on the PAR, basically a vote against Burlington, she knew she was basically out of a job. She needed to act, and she did, that very day she called in Marianne.
I will take the alliance. But be clear, she is motivated by keeping her job.