Too many students, not enough schools

It’s a problem the CAQ’s new education minister will have to tackle: there are too many students and not enough schools in Montreal. In the city’s population slump in the last quarter of the 20th century, some schools were closed and turned into condos, others condemned because of negligent maintenance over years. And now there’s nowhere to put a desk and a blackboard. (Do they still use blackboards? Desks?)

The Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board in the west end risks breaking the law by turning students away for lack of room and lack of teachers, existing schools are being enlarged, and NDG residents are thinking about constructing a school on top of their YMCA building.