As parents and residents term as “completely unacceptable” the two-year delay in the start of construction of a new school in Clarington, a senior KPR official blamed things “outside of the school board’s control” for the postponements.
Foster Northwest K-12 school has long been in planning to serve Newcastle and the surrounding area. Provincial funding of over $75 million was secured in January 2025, which concerned residents attributed to the direct intervention of parents and Premier Ford. They said it was under the clear understanding that this long-overdue project under Kawartha Pine Ridges District School Board (KPRDSB) would be prioritized.
“I am writing on behalf of local parents to formally express our profound disappointment and concern regarding the latest update on the new school build. Learning that ground breaking has been pushed once again to spring 2027—following previous targets of spring, summer, and fall 2026—is completely unacceptable to our community,” said a letter to KPR board trustees, superintendents, municipal councillors, and project planning team.
Earmarked Land Owned By KPR
“Given that the land was already earmarked and owned by the board, an over two-year gap between provincial funding approval and the start of construction reflects an untenable delay in the planning and procurement process,” said Justin Stein, author of the letter made available to Durham Post.
“A spring 2027 start date makes the promised September 2028 opening impossible to achieve, further extending a wait that our community has already endured for over a decade,” said the letter dated September 21.
To ensure transparency and restore community confidence, parents requested a formal response detailing the root cause analysis, revised master timeline and mitigation plan.
“We expect our local school board to manage public funds and community trust with high standards of efficiency and accountability. We request a virtual meeting with the project management leadership and our trustees within the next month to discuss these concerns directly,” said the letter while pointing out that: “Our children are the ones paying the price for these systemic setbacks.”
The KPR Response
“I understand your disappointment with the delayed start…with respect to your question of root cause, there is no single cause for the revised timeline. Capital projects of this size are very complex, with multiple steps in each stage of planning and design that involve feedback and variable timelines for review with partners, and some of this is outside of the school board’s control,” said a response from Vikki Ernst, a KPR Superintendent of Education.
“While we do own the land, the K-12 school design requires significant planning and careful consideration to fit the footprint of the land. A project of this scope takes longer than preparing for a standalone elementary or secondary school. In this case, we are essentially building two connected schools,” she explained in her response of September 25.
Construction Schedule After Contractor Appointment
She said school board staff are advancing the remaining work to complete the tender package and coordinating regularly with the project architect Salter Pilon and municipal partners. “Once a construction contract is awarded, the board will work with the successful contractor to confirm the construction schedule and identify opportunities to move forward as quickly as possible.”
Ernst said KPR will continue to engage with the community, through both the school naming process later this fall, and the boundary and attendance planning process, set to begin in the winter, which will include face-to-face meeting opportunities.