Niagara Catholic's Chief Executive Officer Giancarlo Vetrone is pleased to announce that the Ministry of Education has approved the board's request for $32.6 million in capital funding.
Most of the funding, $25.8 million, is allocated for a new Catholic elementary school in Thorold to ease enrolment pressures at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Elementary School. Another $2.3 million will be used to build a threeroom childcare centre at the school.
A site for the new school has yet to be acquired.
The Ministry also provided $4.5 million in funding to expand Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls.
Both schools are in areas experiencing a surge in neighbourhood development and are over capacity.
Today's announcement brings the number of Niagara Catholic's capital projects in progress or approved for funding to four. St. Luke Catholic Elementary School in Beamsville is scheduled to open in 2027, and a new Catholic elementary school on McLeod Road/Kalar Road in south Niagara Falls is in the design stage.
Quotes:
Niagara Catholic Chief Executive Officer, Giancarlo Vetrone
"This is truly a good news announcement for Niagara Catholic. We are grateful that the Ministry of Education recognized Niagara Catholic's funding requests through the ministry's 2025-26 Capital Priorities Program and look forward to celebrating the groundbreakings for the new Catholic elementary school in Thorold and the addition to Saint Michael Catholic High School in the future."
Chair of the Board Danny Di Lorenzo
"Congratulations to Mr. Vetrone and his Facilities Services team, who diligently created and presented a compelling business case for a new Catholic elementary school in Thorold and an addition to Saint Michael Catholic High School. As a result of their hard work, a new Catholic elementary school, and a larger Saint Michael Catholic High School, will serve students in Thorold and Niagara Falls for many years to come."
Vice-Chair of the Board Rhianon Burkholder (local trustee representing South St. Catharines, Thorold and Port Robinson)
"This is great news for Niagara Catholic, and for families in Thorold who want to send their child to a Catholic elementary school. The new Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, which opened in 2023, is bursting at the seams as our community and our board continue to grow. A second Catholic elementary school to in the city will relieve the pressures on Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, but more importantly, it will allow students who have to travel outside of their neighbourhood to attend a school closer to home."
Minister of Education Paul Calandra
"We're building the schools students need, and we're making sure they get built quickly and on schedule. With stronger oversight and accountability through the Putting Student Achievement First Act, we are ensuring projects are delivered on time and focused on students, so that parents can be confident their children have the tools and opportunities they need to thrive."
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff
"This critical investment of $32.6 million in new and expanded schools in Niagara - including a new Catholic elementary school in Thorold and addition at Saint Michael Catholic High School in Niagara Falls - is welcome news for parents and families across our region. This significant provincial investment will ensure the next generation of students in our region will have access to a quality learning environment in the years ahead."
By the numbers:
New Catholic Elementary School in Thorold
- Cost to build: $25,801,943
- Square footage: 54,897.75 sf
- Number of pupil spaces: 565
Childcare centre in the school
- Cost to build: $2,289,840
- Square footage: 4,872 sf
- Number of rooms: 3
- Number of pupil spaces: 49
Total cost to build: $28,091,783
Saint Michael Catholic High School
- Expansion cost: $4,545,585
- Square footage: 8,264.70
- Number of pupil spaces: 184
For more information
427 Rice Road
Welland Ontario
Canada L3C 7C1
niagaracatholic.ca
