Ontario schools will share another $1.1 billion in provincial funding for repairs and projects to modernize buildings.

And that’s in addition to $1.6 billion already committed over the next two school years – which comes to a total of $2.7 billion in renewal funding – for repairs, the update of heating systems – and the modernization of the electrical and  plumbing systems in the schools.

Ontario’s Education Minister Mitzie Hunter says the money will also pay for new floors, walls, ceilings and school playing fields.

Allocations for individual school boards won’t be known for a few weeks.

Just over two million students attend Ontario’s 4,900 public elementary and high schools – and the government plans to publicly post detailed information regarding the condition and renewal needs of each of them.

The parent group Fix Our Schools says Ontario schools need about $15 billion worth of repairs – and the new money is welcome – but a plan is needed to address the severe backlog.