Mould forces Montreal school closure

An elementary school in Montreal's Villeray neighbourhood may be closed for up to two years because of mould contamination.

Parents and students at Saint-Grard School learned the news Tuesday night.

Montreal's public health departmentrecommended the school be closed for cleaning and renovation.

The department made the move afterconducting tests in December. It found that most of the rooms in the school were contaminated with mould.

Diane de Courcy, the chair of the Commission Scolaire de Montral,said other schoolsin the board's jurisdiction have had problems with mould in the past.

De Courcy said the boardplans to conduct tests on their 200 schools, but not all at once due to the costs involved.

The 422 students at Saint-GrardSchoolwill go to Collge Ahuntsic for a few weeks while the board finds them ahome forthe next 18 to 24 months.