Lack of air conditioning at schools a growing concern but Province says managing heat is a school board issue

The lack of air conditioning in many Ontario classrooms is turning into a heated issue for concerned students, parents and teachers who says school boards and governments need to address the problem.

A spokesperson for Ontario’s Education Minister says the province has invested millions to improve school ventilation, but the responsibility of managing heat protocols falls to the school boards.

But Toronto District School Board says full-building installation in more than two-thirds of its schools without central A-C isn’t financially possible, noting its more than 4-billion-dollar repair backlog.

T-D-S-B civics teacher Daniela Mendez says hot learning environments make it hard for her students to prepare for exams.