September 3rd, 2021

As announced on August 4, the Ministry of Education has asked school boards to provide their communities with a standardized ventilation report. This will enhance transparency for school communities, including students, parents and staff, and provide consistent communication across the province.

In response to the Ministry of Education requirement, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is pleased to share the ventilation measures in place, to help prevent and limit the spread of COVID-19 in schools and support our goal of keeping schools open and safe for in-person learning.

School Board Ventilation Profile

School boards are optimizing air quality in schools through improved ventilation and filtration. Implemented measures are dependent on the type of ventilation and feasibility within the context of school facilities and related building systems.

This is a key element in the multiple protective strategies being employed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and support healthier and safe learning environments for students and staff.

Measures to Help Reduce Transmission Risk in Indoor Settings

Ventilation: Increasing the flow of outdoor/fresh air for diluting the concentration of any infectious particles.
Filtration: Involves the use of different types of fibrous media designed to remove particles from the airstream.

School Board Ventilation Strategy

  • Upgrade all HVAC filters to MERV 13 or highest-grade filter possible and change 5 times per year.
  • Assess and fine-tune all Mechanical Ventilation systems Board wide as well as maximize fresh air intake and minimize recirculation air in all HVAC systems.
  • Execute Mechanical Ventilation upgrade projects in all teaching and non-teaching spaces where required.
  • Install HEPA units in all teaching and non-teaching spaces without Mechanical Ventilation plus install HEPA units in all FDK rooms and ACE classrooms.

School Board Wide Investments

2020-2021 School Year

Ventilation Funding*: $20.8 M

2021-2022 School Year

Ventilation Funding*: $25.8 M
48 Ventilation Projects Completed 59 Ventilation Projects in Progress/Planned
58 Schools Receiving and 41 Schools to Receive an Investment which is 34% of the total schools in the Board

Note:* This includes spending from dedicated ventilation programs, federal-provincial funding, provincial renewal funding and supplemental funding from other Board sources.

Standalone HEPA filter units deployed | 1039

View the WRDSB Ventilation Report.

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