West Toronto Collegiate has become the latest disused school to be bought up by the explosively expanding French system.
The three-storey building on Lansdowne Avenue was officially handed over last month, and will be split between the French public and the French Catholic school boards, who will be teaching 500 students each on the first and second floors respectively. The third storey will be used by the Toronto District School Board for adult education.
According to Claire Francoeur, communications and marketing director for the public board, known as the
Conseil scolaire Viamonde, "We could open 10 schools in Toronto and fill them up very quickly."
The system caters to students for whom
French is a first language.
West Toronto Collegiate is one of five schools in Southern Ontario currently being converted from English to French education. Schools in Scarborough, Richmond Hill and Pickering are also making the switch.
The renovation is expected to cost between $10 and $12 million and to be completed by the beginning of the fall term.
Writer: Bert Archer
Source: Claire Francoeur
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