The new JK-12 facility will include child care, EarlyON programming, and modern learning spaces for students across Lambton Shores and neighbouring communities.
The Ontario Ministry of Education has approved amended project funding for the construction of the Blue Coast District School in Forest, paving the way for the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) to move forward with the build.
The province has committed $74,066,928 in capital funding toward the new junior kindergarten to Grade 12 school, which will be constructed west of the Shores Recreation Centre in the Municipality of Lambton Shores.
The school will consolidate four existing schools — Aberarder Central School, Bosanquet Central Public School, Kinnwood Central Public School, and North Lambton Secondary School — and serve students from Kettle & Stony Point First Nation, Lambton Shores, and Plympton-Wyoming.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Government of Ontario in helping us take this critical next step,” said Gary Girardi, LKDSB’s Director of Education. “The Blue Coast District School will provide an inclusive, innovative, and future-focused learning environment for students from across the community for many, many generations to come.”
“This project has been years in the making and reflects the input and vision of our students, staff, families, and community partners,” said Brian McKay, LKDSB’s Associate Director of Corporate Services. “We are excited to see construction begin and look forward to welcoming students to this beautiful new space.”
In addition to classroom space for JK-12 students, the new school will include:
A Child and Family Centre with two EarlyON rooms
A three-room Child Care Centre offering 49 new licensed childcare spaces (10 infant, 15 toddler, and 24 preschool)
The school will also feature modern facilities designed to support a wide range of academic and extracurricular programming.
The board said a Land Ceremony will be held in the coming weeks “in recognition of the significance of the site and in respect for the lands on which the new school will be built.” A formal groundbreaking is scheduled for September 2025, with more details to be shared closer to the date.
The LKDSB has committed to providing regular updates to the community as construction progresses.
This article was created with support from advanced editorial tools and reviewed by our team to ensure accuracy and fairness. Learn more.
