September 7, 2026
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The Ontario government is expanding student and family support offices to all 72 school boards across the province, giving parents and families a clear, effective way to get help regarding their child’s education and find solutions faster.
Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson and Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers have announced that the Bluewater District School Board and the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board now each have a student and family support office in place, providing families with an additional way to get answers on broader community concerns, navigate complex issues and receive the information and support they need.
This initiative is one more way the government is delivering on its broader plan to make school boards more accountable and focused on student success with a back-to-basics approach that strengthens student achievement and prepares them for rewarding careers.
Below is contact information for the offices in Bruce-Grey, which can also be found on the school boards’ websites:
Bluewater District School Board: Addressing Parent and Community Concerns | supportoffice@bwdsb.on.ca | 226-908-5829
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board: Student & Family Support Office (SFSO) | supportoffice@bgcdsb.org | 519-364-5820 ext. 63235
"Parents in Bruce County deserve a clear, transparent, and direct pathway to address concerns and navigate their child's education," said Thompson. "Establishing student and family support offices in our local school boards ensures our families are heard, respected, and given timely solutions. By reinforcing accountability and focusing on a back-to-basics approach, we are putting students first and setting them up for long-term success."
"The addition of student and family support offices in our local schools will help in strengthening the connection between our schools and our families," said Vickers. "It will help to ensure that every student and family feels heard and supported."
Student and family support offices review concerns raised by parents to help address matters that need to be escalated following initial engagement with a child’s teacher and principal. As part of their mandate, these offices streamline the response process for families by acknowledging inquiries within two business days and aiming to provide an answer within five business days. School boards are also expected to ensure responses to parent inquiries are conducted in a clear manner that is easily understood by a parent and include relevant and accurate information that addresses the specific inquiry.
This will make the education system more responsive and accessible for families by ensuring existing resources can be directed to help students, parents and families navigate the education system and make sure their concerns are addressed. The Ontario Ministry of Education will collect information regularly from all 72 school boards to identify patterns and trends about the types of concerns parents are raising, helping to find ways to improve processes so students and families receive better support.
Student and family support offices have already been operating in supervised school boards, with 95 per cent of family inquiries acknowledged within two business days and nearly 90 per cent receiving a response within five business days or an estimated response date for more complex matters. The experience from these offices has helped inform the expansion of this consistent approach to all school boards across the province.
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