School on Montreal’s South Shore closed due to mould, students to be relocated

A school in the Montérégie on Montreal’s South Shore is now closed after air quality tests revealed the presence of mould.

Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix Elementary School in Beauharnois has been closed since Wednesday. The Vallée-des-Tisserands School Services Centre (CSSVT) says additional tests are required before the school can reopen.

Kym Boivin, who has three children at the school, says she was already concerned about conditions inside the building.

“When we first visited, I saw the state that it was in, and I was kind of shocked that it was running like that with all those supporting beams everywhere,” she said

According to the CSSVT, in 2024, roof repairs at the school uncovered structural issues with the building, and in March, support beams were installed. However, staff raised concerns about the infrastructure and air quality.

In spring 2025, as part of a request submitted to the Education Ministry to demolish the building, the school service centre began to test for air quality.

Those tests, carried out in July, revealed the presence of mould in some areas of the building. The CSSVT says it installed air purifiers and decontaminated the areas, which improved the situation.

However, an air quality test on Nov. 28 showed non-compliant results, and the school was informed of the outcome on the evening of Dec. 2.

While students were supposed to return to class on Friday, officials say students will now have to be relocated to different schools as Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix will remain closed after the holiday break.

In a statement, Ministry of Education said the school was in bad condition.

“The building has a rating of E, with a physical deterioration index of 35.6 per cent.”

Arrangements have been made to move students to different schools.

According to a CSSVT news release, most students will be relocated to the new annex building at the Baie-Saint-François school in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

Students in adapted groups (GADCA) will continue their education at Saint-Paul school in Beauharnois.

An online petition is circulating among parents, demanding more transparency and immediate measures to ensure the safety of students and staff.

In a statement to CTV News, the Education Ministry says it is “monitoring the situation very closely.”

The school service centre will be meeting with parents on Thursday to inform them of the latest developments.