The provincial government announced Thursday it has ended a capital funding freeze at the Toronto District School Board.
The province froze funds and sent in a special assistance team to balance the books at the TDSB last year after the board went over budget on numerous projects.
“We are lifting the freeze on capital funding for the board,” Education Minister Liz Sandals said in a news release.
“This will allow the TDSB to once again develop and submit capital project proposals and business cases to the ministry, which will be considered alongside capital proposals from school boards across the province,” Sandals said.
Interim director of education Donna Quan told CTV Toronto she is very pleased with the decision, but notes there are still hurdles to overcome.
“This essentially means we can look at those key projects, where there may be accommodation challenges, look at other areas that may generate revenue needed and move forward,” Quan said.
The board must still come up with revenue to fund projects, which could mean selling off schools or severing land.
Board Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher said that the decision from the province is an enormous relief.
“The schools I represent are desperate. We are 1,000 people-places short; we need the money,” TDSB trustee Sheila Cary Meagher said.
With a report by CTV’s Naomi Parness
