Ontario school board trustees spent $175K to remove Sir John A. Macdonald's name from school

A student is raising questions about the Waterloo Region District School Board’s decision to spend $175,000 to rename a high school in Waterloo, Ont.

Grade 10 student Ishan Acharya’s inquiry stems from a vote by the board trustees in 2021 to rename Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School. The reason cited for the decision was that Canada’s first prime minister had a founding role in the residential school system.

The board’s director of education, Scott Miller says the decision was “part of our ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.”

In an email to National Post, Miller cites an October 2020 decision by the trustees to review the names of all schools and board facilities and “identify any with racist or harmful associations” in line with the Ontario and Canadian Human Rights Codes. The school was officially renamed Laurel Heights Secondary School in 2022.

The decision preceded a 2025 change made by the Ontario government to update legislation and require approval from the Minister of Education when renaming a school, as previously reported by National Post. Plans for three schools in Toronto were abandoned afterwards.

Student files FOI to find out why it cost $175K to rename Waterloo high school https://t.co/TS440xJvNj

— CTV Kitchener (@CTVKitchener) May 14, 2026

Grade 10 student Ishan Acharya discovered the renaming cost after he filed a freedom of information request with the board. He was given a list of expenses, totalling $195,105.86, or $176,466.50 net with an HST rebate.

“It just appalled me,” Acharya told CTV News . “I don’t know who decided to spend this much money when students (are) struggling.”

The majority of the expenses were for renamed sports uniforms and equipment.

Miller said t he decision to rename the school “followed extensive engagement with students, parents, staff, Indigenous communities and the broader community. We heard clearly from many members of the community that the previous name did not reflect the inclusive and welcoming learning environments we strive to create for all students.”

Regarding the cost, Miller said, the costs “were anticipated as part of the process.”

• Ontario education minister steps in to prevent erasure of Sir John A. Macdonald, Ryerson and Dundas from Toronto schools
• Historians ask Doug Ford to save names of Sir John A. Macdonald, Ryerson, Dundas on Toronto schools

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