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DDSB Ventilation Measures Report

Posted On Friday December 13, 2024

A big part of health and safety in schools is air quality.

  • Between 2020 and 2023, a total of 40 ventilation projects have been completed to upgrade the air quality in DDSB schools and buildings. This school year, an additional 3 ventilation projects are planned or already in progress.
  • We have invested in upgraded filters for all of our ventilation systems. These upgraded filters are highly effective at removing a broad range of particles, including bacteria and even some viruses. We use MERV 13 filters in our central air handling units and change these on an accelerated schedule.
  • Ventilation checks have been completed in every school.
  • We initially purchased 1,870 portable HEPA air filtration units, which have been installed, and as funding became available, ordered and received an additional 150 in
  • January 2022 and 180 in February 2022. These units will enhance ventilation and will be installed in various schools across the district. Furthermore, as of February 2022 we have received an additional 75 units supplied by the Ministry of Education on top of the 311 units they have provided already.
  • All of these individual units have HEPA-level filtration and filter the air within spaces that are not fully mechanically ventilated. All Kindergarten classrooms, regardless of ventilation type, have also been given improved HEPA-level filtration systems. Any additional units in schools are being placed to provide improved air quality in addition to the optimized ventilation system. In all, 2,492 standalone HEPA filter units have been deployed.
  • Duct cleaning is also being completed at schools to boost the efficiency of existing ventilation systems.
  • DDSB is in the fortunate position to have the majority of our buildings fully mechanically ventilated, which means they are equipped with a modern, robust ventilation system. As such, we are able to improve ventilation and air quality in several ways, including installing MERV 13 filters and changing them more frequently, increasing the volume of outdoor air, completing pre- OR post-occupancy air purges.

The Ministry of Education has mandated that school boards across Ontario post ventilation information to enhance transparency for students, parents and staff and provide consistent communication across the province about measures taken to improve air quality in schools. 

In the spreadsheet provided, parents can search by school to see what improvements have been made to their child(ren)’s school(s).

Please click on the file below to access the DDSB Ventilation Measures Report.

Please note:  When viewing this document you must click on the 'Enable Editing' button located at top of the spreadsheet to view contents of Tab 1 and Tab 2.