About 1,000 Ontario schools will become more energy-efficient thanks to a $550-million, two-year program announced yesterday by Premier Dalton McGuinty.
The 72 school boards in the province will decide which schools will be eligible for the green improvements, which could include more efficient heating and cooling systems, smart thermostats, light occupancy sensors, and high-efficiency windows, roofs and boilers.
“By retrofitting our schools, we’re creating jobs while saving energy and money, and teaching our kids about greener ways to live,” McGuinty said.
The school projects will start this summer after classes end in June, he said, and will help create about 5,500 temporary jobs.
The money comes from the government’s $32-billion infrastructure program announced in this year’s provincial budget.
The Progressive Conservatives complained the government lacks a detailed plan for the infrastructure spending.
