Ottawa French school board will open temporary downtown school at 440 Albert Street in 2027
The Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario says Grade 7 and 8 students will attend a temporary school at 440 Albert Street starting in the 2027-28 school year.
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Ottawa's French public school board said Thursday that it has found a temporary home for a new downtown high school: Grade 7 and 8 students will attend at 440 Albert Street starting in the 2027-28 school year.
The Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) made the announcement in a news release, translated from French. CTV News Ottawa reported the story on November 5, 2026.
What the board says
CEPEO says it has reached an agreement with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), which owns 440 Albert Street. The building is the former Ottawa Technical High School and is now home to the OCDSB continuing education office. The agreement lets CEPEO use the site while it continues to look for a permanent location.
"The school will be temporarily located at 440 Albert Street, under an agreement with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, which owns the building," the CEPEO said in its release. "This arrangement will allow the CEPEO to address the immediate needs of families in this underserved area, while continuing efforts to establish a permanent secondary school in the downtown core."
The permanent school search continues
CEPEO says 440 Albert Street is not the permanent answer. The board says it will spend the coming months preparing the building for students, while at the same time keeping up its search for a permanent site.
In 2025, the Ontario government gave CEPEO nearly $41 million toward building a permanent downtown French-language high school. The planned permanent school is sized for 731 student spaces and 49 licensed childcare spaces, according to CTV News Ottawa.
Who is behind this decision
The elected CEPEO trustees for Ottawa will take office on November 15, 2026, under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996. They oversee French public school education in the city. Voters elected CEPEO trustees in several zones across Ottawa on October 26, 2026. The board's director of education, Christan-Charle Bouchard, is quoted in the release saying the new school will give students "an environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive in French."
What families can do
French-speaking families in downtown Ottawa who want their children enrolled at the new temporary school can now plan around the 2027-28 school year. The board says it will post updates as it prepares the Albert Street site. CEPEO's elected trustees for Ottawa are listed at voche.me's Ottawa election pages.
Questions this story answers
What school is opening at 440 Albert Street in Ottawa?
The Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) says it will open a temporary French-language school at 440 Albert Street for Grade 7 and 8 students starting in the 2027-28 school year. The site is the former Ottawa Technical High School, which is now home to the OCDSB continuing education office. The building is owned by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and CEPEO has reached an agreement with the OCDSB to use it temporarily.
When will the temporary downtown French school open?
According to CTV News Ottawa, CEPEO says the temporary school at 440 Albert Street will be ready for students in the 2027-28 school year. The board says it will spend the coming months preparing the building for students. No single opening date has been given.
Is 440 Albert Street a permanent location for the new French school?
CEPEO says 440 Albert Street is a temporary arrangement, not a permanent one. The board says it is continuing work to find a permanent site for a French-language secondary school in downtown Ottawa. The temporary location is meant to meet the needs of families in the area while that search continues.
How much money did Ontario give toward the new downtown French school?
In 2025, the Ontario government gave CEPEO nearly $41 million toward building a downtown French-language high school. The planned permanent school will have 731 student spaces and 49 licensed childcare spaces, according to CTV News Ottawa.
Who owns 440 Albert Street in Ottawa?
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) owns 440 Albert Street. The building is currently home to the OCDSB continuing education office. CEPEO says it has reached an agreement with the OCDSB to use the building as a temporary school site starting in the 2027-28 school year.
Which grades will attend the temporary school at 440 Albert Street?
CTV News Ottawa reports that Grade 7 and 8 students will attend the CEPEO temporary school at 440 Albert Street starting in the 2027-28 school year. The article does not say whether higher grades will also be enrolled at the site.
What is CEPEO?
CEPEO stands for Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario, Ottawa's French public school board. It is one of four school boards that Ottawa residents elect trustees for. CEPEO trustees were elected on October 26, 2026. The board serves French-speaking students in Ottawa and the surrounding region.
What can Ottawa families do now?
French-speaking families in downtown Ottawa who want their children to attend a French-language school closer to home can now plan around the 2027-28 school year. For more information about the new school or about CEPEO's trustee representatives, visit the board's official site. The elected CEPEO trustees for Ottawa can be found at voche.me's Ottawa election pages.
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