Frequently Asked Questions – Midtown

Midtown is experiencing accommodation pressures due to a number of factors:

• Significant and unprecedented residential growth in the area, supported by provincial and municipal planning policies encouraging high density in the area
• An increase in the number of pupils generated from condominiums and apartments in the Midtown Area, compared with previously expected number of students per unit
• Many schools in the Midtown Area are situated on small, constrained sites, with undersized play areas and aging facilities that lack the opportunity for expansion on site.

In addition:

• TDSB does not have access to Education Development Charges to fund the purchase of land for new school sites
• Limited grants available from the Province for capital projects to address accommodation pressures.

Over the past ten years, the TDSB has undertaken boundary changes, grade changes, program relocations/augmentation, internal renovations and student redirections to address enrolment pressures in the Midtown Area. Capital funding was also secured in 2015/16 for the construction of a larger facility at Davisville Jr. PS/Spectrum Alternative School and a large addition to Hodgson MS. However, despite implementing changes and securing capital funding from the Ministry of Education, accommodation pressures continue to impact local elementary schools due to significant development growth in the Midtown Area.

In light of the additional residential growth, the TDSB will be undertaking a Yonge-Eglinton Program Area Review (PAR) to address accommodation pressures. Additional information on the TDSB’s PAR process is available on the TDSB’s website: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Strategy-Planning/Accommodation-Reviews

The TDSB is experiencing significant student accommodation pressures in the Midtown Area at the elementary school level. To control overcrowding at schools, TDSB Trustees may approve the redirection of students from specific schools or areas that are overcapacity to assigned schools outside of their home area that have available space. Bussing is typically required as an interim solution to transport the students living in the over capacity areas to the assigned receiving school.

Currently, the TDSB has approved the redirection of students from new developments in the Eglinton Jr PS attendance boundary to schools located outside of the Midtown Area. Given the significant levels of growth expected in this part of the City, it is anticipated that students from new developments in the area will continue to be redirected to schools outside of the area. As strategies from the TDSB’s Program Area Review are implemented and/or accommodation solutions, students from redirected outside of their home area can begin to be brought back to their local schools.

The provision of a new elementary school will be sought, which will require a long term capital funding solution and the acquisition of a suitable site for a new school facility. A future elementary school in the Yonge-Eglinton area is listed in the TDSB’s Long-Term Program & Accommodation Strategy as an Emerging Capital Priority project to be submitted to the Ministry of Education for provincial capital funding consideration.

TLC is exploring opportunities for a new school facility, satellite school or temporary school accommodation in Midtown.