‘We do not have central air here’: Montreal elementary school struggles amid heat wave

During Wednesdays heat wave, it felt like 44 degrees in Montreal and students at Parkdale Elementary School in St-Laurent sweated through their final days of classes without access to central air.

English Montreal School Board (EMSB) chairperson Joe Ortona, calls it an ongoing process.

“Every time we get construction money or money for renovations, they come with a whole list of strings attached and we can’t use them for air conditioning,” he said.

He confirms that 60 public schools under the EMSB still do not have air conditioning.

Despite Quebec government funding, Ortona says it is an obstacle dealing with the CAQ and Ministry of Education.

“[The ministry] is, they sit in very comfortable air conditioned offices. I can guarantee you that,” he says. “And I’m not saying that as a criticism I think that’s normal, but I think it’s also normal for the kids to have that as well, to be comfortable in their school environment.”

Parkdale Elementary School student Stelios Argiropoulos says this was the hottest day at school to date and tries to cool down by a nearby fan.

“I feel like it’s very hot,” Argiropoulos said. “Even if when I’m like not doing anything, [like when I’m learning], it’s like very hot,” he said.

Parkdale Elementary Principle, George Koutsoulis adds that industrial fans had to be used in the hallways and the gymnasium with every class having access o a fan.

Koutsoulis said a select few portable air conditioners we’re used for extra cooling with students given the opportunity to escape from the heat as he considers today’s heat wave as ‘exceptional.’

“We’ve asked that students do not go out during recess,” Koutsoulis said. “We don’t want them to exert themselves during this heat,” he said. “We’re trying to keep cool.”

The EMSB are currently waiting for their challenge against Bill 40 to be heard at the Court of Appeal, after the law tried to turn English school boards into service centers like French boards.

Ortona anticipates a win following The Quebec Court of Appeal rejected a challenge by the CAQ government to a Quebec Superior Court decision that provided EMSB with a partial stay of provisions of Bill 96 and the Charter of the French Language in April.

“We’re finally going to be able to put the money where we think it needs to go. Like we did with the air purifiers, we have to consider the safety and security of the kids and everybody that’s in our buildings,” Ortona said.