Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker says over 400 people have signed petitions at his office that ask for a moratorium on school closures in Ontario.
Walker stood in the Legislature Thursday to present the petitions, which request the province update the public accommodation review guidelines.
Walker says the arbitrary guidelines no longer consider the value of a school to the local economy and exclude opportunities to create community hubs. He says the government is ignoring the concerns of people, who will now bring their fight to Queen's Park, with a rally planned there on Monday.
Buses and vehicles from across Ontario representing the Ontario Alliance Against School Closures will converge on Queen's Park Monday to demand change.
Walker says the result of school closures is "inequitable access to extra curricular activities and other essential school involvement, and after school work opportunities"
Walker says under the current guidelines, one in eight Ontario Schools is at risk of closure.
“We need to keep our schools open and support them as vibrant community hubs. For sure the education minister will agree that the two are inseparable and she will agree to meet with the school communities and find solutions so that we don’t lose our schools and the child care programs and support they provide support to local families,” states Walker.
