School naming policy
Memorandum to:
Chairs of District School Boards
School Board Supervisors
Directors of Education/Chief Executive Officers
Secretary/Treasurer of School Authorities
From:
Honourable Paul Calandra
Minister of Education
Denise Cole
Deputy Minister of Education
Date:
July 30, 2026
Subject: School Naming Policy - Requirement under Section 174 of the Education Act
This memorandum sets out binding policy requirements related to school naming processes for district school boards and school authorities (“boards” or “school boards”). It is issued pursuant to Subsection 174(8) of the Education Act.
The requirements in s. 174 of the Education Act came into force on November 20, 2025. As of that date, naming a new school or changing the name of an existing school is subject to Minister approval.
All boards must follow a new application process to obtain Minister’s approval for a new school name or to change the name of an existing school. Applications for approval of a school name must be submitted via Ministry of Education - School Naming Application Form.
As per O. Reg. 244/26, upon receipt of an application form, the Minister has 60 days to provide a response to the board either approving the school name, with or without conditions, or rejecting the name. If there is no response from the Minister within this time period, the proposed school name will be deemed to be approved
Appendix A contains policy requirements for board school naming processes and steps on how to proceed. Appendix B contains details on the application process.
Next Steps
School boards who began using a new school name on or after January 1, 2025 but before November 20, 2025 do not require Minister’s approval of the name and can continue to use the name adopted.
If a board shared with the ministry a school name selected for a school that opened after November 20, 2025 but before December 31, 2026, formal response for the school name approval request will be communicated to boards directly.
Effective immediately, school boards must follow the new application process for school naming approval using the new Ministry of Education - School Naming Application Form.
If you have any questions related to a school name application related to a Capital project, please contact your assigned Capital Analyst. For school name applications related to renaming of an existing school please contact your regional manager.
Sincerely,
The Hon. Paul Calandra
Minister of Education
Denise A. Cole
Deputy Minister of Education
Enc.
Appendix A: School Naming Policy
Appendix B: School Naming Application and Approval Process
c.
Senior Business Officials
Superintendents, Managers of Facilities and Managers of Planning
Paul Cleaver, Assistant Deputy Minister (A), Ministry of Education
Rupert Gordon, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education
Patrizia Del Riccio, Director, Capital Programs Branch, Ministry of Education
Andrew Locker, Director, Field Services Branch, Ministry of Education
Appendix A – Policy Requirements for School Board’s School Naming Process
Legislative and Regulatory Requirements:
School boards are required to comply with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements under the Education Act.
Definitions:
New School Name: The name for a school constructed on or after November 20, 2025, that has a Capital Priorities project identification number including replacement schools that will use the same name.
School Name Change: The process of changing the name of an existing school.
Minor School Name Change: A minor school name change is an adjustment to an existing school name that is strictly technical, administrative, or a formatting change. A minor school name change may include changes to abbreviations in a school name, spelling corrections, or adjusting descriptors.
School Naming Policy Requirements:
This policy applies in respect of school board processes for naming schools, including new school names, school name changes and minor school name changes.
This policy sets out requirements for school naming processes in the following areas:
A. Naming Criteria
A school board’s process for naming a school or changing the name of a school shall ensure that any proposed names for a school fall under one of the following categories:
- Name of a geographical area or local feature, such as the location, community, or street where the school is located. Local features can include plants or trees.
- Name in commemoration of an event of significance to the area, province or country, if at least ten years have elapsed since the event.
- Name to commemorate a person, living or deceased, provided the person has made a demonstrable contribution to the legacy of the area, the province or country.
- Name that honours the significance of communities who have helped shape Ontario’s rich and diverse history (e.g., First Nations communities, Francophone communities).
- Name that has denominational significance for a separate school board (e.g. names of Patron Saints, exemplary Catholic figures).
School names should not:
- Promote commercial interests (e.g. include the name of a business or brand).
- Commemorate a person with an unpardoned criminal record.
B. Costs Associated with Process for Naming a School or Changing the Name of a School
The process for naming a school or changing the name of a school must be completed cost effectively and in compliance with school board expense policies and directives.
For example:
- leveraging free or low-cost venues for any community discussions
- only paying reasonable travel related expenses relevant to participation in the meetings
- avoiding high-cost consultant fees for facilitation and other services
School boards should also limit indirect costs (e.g. staff time and operational expenses) tied to school naming processes and undertake these activities in the most efficient manner possible.
School boards are encouraged to leverage in-kind support such as common meeting spaces, partnerships with community organizations, and board staff capacity to minimize costs while ensuring meaningful participation.
C. Timely and Efficient Process for Naming a School or Changing the Name of a School
School boards are expected to treat school naming and renaming as routine administrative business and to conclude decisions within a standard decision-making cycle, consistent with the timelines they apply to other standard board matters.
Processes must:
- Include community engagement. School boards must include a summary of community engagement in their application.
- Result in a clear rationale for the school’s name.
- Be concluded as timely and efficiently as possible to minimize disruption to school operations.
Appendix B: School Naming Application and Approval Process
Before Applying for Minister’s Approval
School boards must complete their local processes for the naming of a new school or to change the name of an existing school before seeking Minister’s approval.
Application Approval Streams
There are two streams for seeking school naming or school name change approvals from the Minister:
- School Name Related to a Capital Priorities Program (CP) Project Approval:
- The school naming process should commence only after the ministry has approved a capital project.
- After an application form is submitted, the minister has 60 days to respond to a school naming application. School boards should consider the approval timeline in preparation for the school project opening. If a new school name is not approved before opening, boards must use the municipal address until a school name is approved.
- School boards are encouraged to submit their naming application as part of the existing Capital Priorities milestones, for example, the request for the approval of a school name can be submitted at the Pre-Tender Check-in milestone.
- Existing school name changes – not associated with a Capital Priorities Project, including minor school name changes
- The process to change the name of an existing school should commence well in advance of the proposed date the name change would be intended to come into use.
Application Form
The ministry’s school naming online application form must be completed for any school name approval, including new school names, school name changes and minor school name changes.
The completed school naming application form will only be accepted via the online school naming application form: Ministry of Education - School Naming Application Form.
For new school names and school name changes, school boards must provide the ministry with the below information:
- a clear, well-documented rationale as to why a school naming process has been initiated (i.e., name a new school or to change the name of an existing school); including the proposed name’s relevance to the community (as appropriate) and the anticipated reaction to the name from the community; potential positive and negative reactions should be identified.
- a brief description of the community engagement that has taken place, timelines and costs related to the engagement, and a summary of community feedback (include community meeting minutes).
- for school name changes, an outline of the benefits of changing the name of an existing school including confirmation that the change will not negatively impact or divert resources from other school operations (e.g. identifying which operational funds would be used to support the name change).
- confirmation that the proposed name and naming process complies with the policy requirements.
Documents with supporting details must be submitted to EDUSchoolNaming@ontario.ca.
The application has been shortened for minor name changes (e.g. detailed rationale will not be required)
Comprehensive records are to be maintained by the school board demonstrating that the school naming or name changing process has met the cost effectiveness and efficiency requirements. The ministry may request and review this documentation at any time to verify compliance.
Applications will be rejected if they:
- do not comply with the policy, or
- are incomplete.
Minister’s Response
Once the application is submitted to the ministry, it will be assessed, and the Minister has 60 days to respond, as set out in O. Reg. 244/26.
The Minister has the authority to approve, approve with conditions, or reject a school name within the prescribed time.
If a school name is rejected, the school board shall not use the rejected name. Please refer to subsection 174(6) of the Education Act on how to proceed.
There is no appeal process for school naming decisions made by the Minister.
After School Boards Receive Approval
If a new school name or school name change has been approved by the Minister, the ministry will make updates to the Ontario School Information System (OnSIS) to reflect the approved name.