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BWDSB Approved for New School in Port Elgin

BWDSB Approved for New School in Port Elgin
Posted on 01/28/2025
Media release graphic with BWDSB logo on white and blue backgroundBWDSB media release logo

For Immediate Release


January 28, 2025


BWDSB to Receive over $17.8 Million for New Growth School in Port Elgin

Chesley, ON – Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB) is thrilled to announce that the Ministry of Education has approved over $17.8 million in Capital Priorities Program funding to build a new growth school in Port Elgin.

The new school will host an additional 409 pupils from junior kindergarten to Grade 6 and will complement Northport Elementary School and Port Elgin-Saugeen Central School.

As part of the ministry’s Capital Priorities Program, school boards were invited to submit project proposals to address current accommodation needs and pressures. In consultation with community and municipal partners, board staff recognized the growing need to accommodate student enrolment pressure in Saugeen Shores and submitted a business case for an additional school.

“I am proud to announce that our government is investing $17.9 million to fund a new elementary school in Port Elgin,” says Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce. “This investment in the Bluewater District School Board will provide modern, state-of-the-art facilities to support students’ learning and growth, while supporting hardworking families in Port Elgin and the Town of Saugeen Shores. Together, we are building a brighter future for the community.”

“As a mother, I understand that the local school really is the heart of the community. It’s so important for young families to have a school that’s close to home,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Education. "Our government is proud to deliver a new Port Elgin elementary school for local families, along with increasing funding, staffing, and a back-to-basics focus on reading, writing, and math to help ensure students graduate with the fundamental skills they need to succeed.”

“We are extremely pleased and excited to receive such incredible news from the Ministry of Education regarding a new growth school to serve students and families in the Port Elgin area,” says BWDSB Chair Jane Thomson. “Our staff have been diligently working to ensure a successful outcome for this business case application, and we are so appreciative of their efforts, along with the support of our community and municipal partners. A very special ‘thank you’ goes out to MPP Lisa Thompson and the Ministry of Education for recognizing the need for a new school in the growing and vibrant Port Elgin community.”

Staff are eager to start work on the new school and will provide more information on timelines when further details are known.



For media inquiries, please contact:
Jamie Pettit, Communications Officer
Bluewater District School Board
226-908-5739
Bluewater District School Board is located on the traditional land of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, which is represented by the communities of Saugeen First Nation and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
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