Community Use of Schools


Program Principles

School Activities Take Priority

School day activities, extra-curricular activities and parent involvement activities organized or administered by the school or school board have priority use of school space during and after regular school hours.

Schools as Hubs of Communities

Schools are the hubs of their communities and offer an effective use of taxpayers' investment in providing citizens with a place to come together, volunteer, build skills, access community programs, become physically active and build strong and healthy communities.

Support for a Positive Climate for Youth

The Community Use of Schools program supports and promotes healthy, active lifestyles for community youth.

Fair and Equal Access

Schools are welcoming and inclusive and offer parent groups, community organizations and other citizens fair access to use of school space at affordable rates for community purposes in non-school hours.

Respect for Roles and Responsibilities

Community Use of Schools program stakeholder partners respect each other's roles, responsibilities and obligations to the community and education system.

Not-For-Profit organizations to be charged affordable rates

District School Boards, where feasible, should ensure that after-hours user fees for school facilities in their district are affordable for Not-For-Profit community users.

Not-for-profit groups shall be defined to include:

  1. Not-for-Profit Youth-Related Community Groups – run by local youth groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, 4H Clubs and Cadets, etc. where the activities are intended for participants under the age of 18 (or where the participants are under a disability, then under the age of 28).
  2. Not-for-Profit Recognized Children's Sport and Recreation Service Providers - groups that are: a.) sponsored or recognized by a municipality as providing services or programs for the benefit of the community, or b.) members of a provincial sports organization or an accredited camping organization, or c.) universally recognized as service providers, such as the YMCA or Red Cross.
  3. Not-for-Profit Childcare Operations – groups involved with before and after-school childcare programs delivered by eligible operators (as per the Day Nurseries Act) within the school board district.
  4. Other Not-for-Profit or Charitable Groups – other groups such as local service clubs, community health associations, parent groups, seniors groups, etc. as determined by the district school board.