Windsor Catholic Board Reports Enrolment Surge Straining School Capacity

The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board confirmed that student numbers have outpaced available space at several institutions in the region. The board’s final enrolment report shows that secondary school attendance increased by more than 300 students this year, while elementary enrolment grew by 126. The system now counts 15,149 elementary students and 8,838 secondary students.

Board CEO John Ulicny identified the growth in the elementary sector as a primary point of concern. He noted that the board had expected numbers to drop because a large Grade 8 class graduated and was replaced by a smaller junior kindergarten cohort. Despite that demographic shift, the elementary panel remained up 126 students year over year when comparing 2025-2026 data to 2026-2027 figures.

Ulicny stated that the most intense pressure is currently felt in east Windsor. St. Joseph Catholic High School, the board's largest secondary institution, saw its enrolment rise by over 100 students. He attributed this increase to housing and population growth in the East Riverside area. St. John Vianney Elementary School, which has served as the district's largest elementary campus for several years, is also expanding its roster.

To manage the rising numbers, the board hired 59 new elementary teachers and 34 new secondary teachers for the current academic year. The administration is now drafting plans to add capacity at St. John Vianney and Assumption College Catholic High School in west Windsor. These expansion projects are contingent on government support.

Ulicny said the board is waiting for the provincial minister to publish capital funding priorities for the 2026-2027 school year. The board recently finished an eight-classroom addition at St. Joseph Catholic High School, a project that helped alleviate some of the pressure in that specific location before the next round of funding decisions.