London District Catholic School Board | London
A new Catholic elementary school is being planned in southwest London, but not everyone is happy about how it might happen.
The London District Catholic School Board needs space to build the school because more families are moving into that part of the city. But instead of buying land the usual way, the board is thinking about using a process called expropriation which means they could take land even if the owner doesn’t want to sell it.
Some people in the area are worried. They say they haven’t been told much, and they don’t know if their homes or properties are at risk.
“It’s scary,” said one resident who lives nearby. “We want more schools for the kids, sure but not if it means we lose our house.”
The board says it hasn’t made any final decisions yet and is still working with the City of London to figure things out. They say building the school is important because the schools in the area are already too full.
Expropriation is legal in Canada and has been used before for things like roads, schools, and hospitals. People who lose their land do get paid for it but it can still be upsetting, especially if families have lived there for years.
Some parents say they’re okay with the idea, as long as it helps their kids get smaller class sizes and better facilities.
The city is growing fast, and with more homes being built, experts say this kind of issue may come up more often in the future.
For now, it’s a waiting game with families on both sides hoping for answers.
