The Bluewater District School Board is inviting the community to share feedback on plans for a new public elementary school in Port Elgin.
The new build is a long time coming after local advocacy for more space to accommodate the community’s growth.
You can visit the school board’s website to view the preliminary floor plan and renderings for the two-story Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 school.
The new Port Elgin elementary school will be based on a modified version of the Beavercrest Community School design in Markdale, with the addition of a second floor. This approach will allow the project team to retain proven base design elements while making targeted adjustments to better meet the specific needs of students and staff.
The future build is being funded by the Ministry of Education and will have capacity for 409 students, complementing Northport Elementary School and Port Elgin-Saugeen Central School.
The board says the new design includes a bright, inviting foyer/ central hub, library, resource room, double gymnasium, classrooms and an oversized flexible classroom designed to accommodate a variety of school-wide uses. It will also have a kitchen and a special education room.
The board has created a dedicated email address, pesdesignreview@bwdsb.on.ca, for feedback and questions between now and Friday, May 22, 2026.
They say responses to commonly asked questions will be posted on the web page.
Across all board schools last year, enrollment increased by about 1.3 per cent or 230 additional students.
Back in 2022, the Town met with the provincial government to advocate for a new school.
In 2023, a Bluewater board staff report identified enrollment growth in Northport Elementary School, Port Elgin-Saugeen Central School, and Saugeen District Senior School. Back then, the report said enrolment at the three schools was at 104 per cent, with 119 per cent at Northport Elementary School, 90 per cent at Port Elgin-Saugeen Central School, and 119 per cent in the elementary panel at Saugeen District Senior School. They said portables were being used to accommodate the need for spaces.
It’s expected the school will open in 2028.