Over the past year, the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board has invested more than $12 million in infrastructure, expanded capacity in the North Shore and added hundreds of new classroom technologies. Those moves have marked a significant period under chairman James Di Sano’s leadership.
“When I came in, there was a need to improve our infrastructures across the organization,” said Di Sano. “Not just Laval, but across the North Shore.”
Rather than concentrating funds into one major project, the board spread the investment across multiple schools. Some saw significant upgrades, particularly older flagship buildings, while others received more modest improvements that nonetheless address pressing issues.
“We invested to respond to the needs of the respective communities,” he said, emphasizing that each region required a different approach.
At the same time, the board has expanded to meet rising enrolment in certain areas. A similar trend is unfolding in Saint-Jérôme, where Laurentia Elementary has reached capacity. In response, the board opted to expand beyond its original site, acquiring a second property with support from the Ministry of Education for just over $5.5 million. Located roughly 12 minutes from the main building, the new site will serve as a secondary campus to better accommodate growing student needs. The building required minimal work to become operational and provides an opportunity for future expansion if enrolment continues to rise.
Growth all across the regions has required more immediate solutions. At Mountain View Elementary in Deux-Montagnes, rising enrolment led to the installation of portable classrooms, modular units connected directly to the main building. These portable classrooms are a cost-effective way to expand schools immediately.
“It’s like another wing to the school,” he said, noting that the additions can range from single-level units to multi-storey extensions depending on demand.
Rather than viewing the expansion as a strain, Di Sano frames it differently. “It’s to respond to the growing numbers, which is a fantastic position to be in.”
Investing in more technology
Beyond physical space, the board has also focused on modernizing classrooms. Over the past year, it installed 398 new smartboards, representing an investment of approximately $1.3 million. These investments have taken place across a system that remains uniquely complex. The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board spans Laval, the Laurentians and Lanaudière, covering a vast territory with 40 schools and centres serving very different communities.
“Collectively, the territory of our board is the size of Belgium,” he said. “It’s not always one size fits all. It’s impossible. We adapt ourselves to the specific region and clientele that we’re servicing.”
That geographic diversity is reflected in enrolment trends. While some schools in Laval are seeing declining numbers, others in the surrounding regions are growing steadily.
“We’re losing in Laval, but we’re growing in the regions,” he explained.
Inevitable budget cuts
The challenge for the board has been to respond to both realities at once, expanding when needed while maintaining stability elsewhere. That balancing act has been further complicated by financial constraints. Like many school boards across Quebec, the school board had to contend with budget pressures that force difficult decisions.
“When I came in, it was to make the board more transparent, more accountable, and more fiscally responsible,” he said.
Those principles have shaped how the board has managed cuts. Rather than scaling back services outright, efforts have focused on restructuring and reallocating resources internally.
“If you’re cutting me here, I’m going to go find it here to pay for it,” he acknowledged. “We do the best that we can with the resources that we have.”
Community above all
Amid those pressures, Di Sano points to community involvement as a defining strength of the board. Within the English-language sector, parent engagement remains a consistent driver of school life. That involvement came into focus at Our Lady of Peace Elementary in Laval West, where a new playground structure opened last fall after years of fundraising efforts by parents.
“The parents took five or six years to raise the money,” he admitted. “And the difference that they were missing, we committed to funding.”
The result reflects a broader reality across the board’s schools, where projects are often shaped by collaboration between families and administration.
Student experience has also remained part of the board’s focus. Efforts to promote inclusion included raising the Pride flag at head office, a move Di Sano says is intended to encourage dialogue and understanding.
“It’s very important that students come together and have meaningful conversations about inclusion and respect,” he said.
Academic achievement has continued alongside these initiatives. At Laval Senior Academy, students hosted the Montreal Regional Science and Technology Fair, with several participants advancing to higher levels of competition in the United States.
Looking back on the year, there is no single defining initiative. Instead, what emerges is a pattern of response and adaptation. Investments in infrastructure and technology have been paired with expansion in growing regions and ongoing efforts to maintain services elsewhere.
Through it all, Di Sano returns to a consistent focus.
“Our collective duty and responsibility are to ensure the success of our students.”
