Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wants schools opened up at nights and weekends for use by community groups.

Horwath used a Brampton stop to announce an “open schools” plan that would stay open even after students have gone home for the day.

“Schools serve a greater purpose than just that of education. They serve as the heart of a community,” she said Wednesday morning.

She said an NDP government would $60 million a year to help school boards “keep the lights on, keep cleaning staff in place . . . to make sure those schools are accessible.”

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She said the school spaces would be made available at a low cost or free for community organizations, likes seniors groups and sports clubs.

Gurpreet Dhillon, the NDP candidate in Brampton-Springdale, called it an “awesome idea.”

“What it’s going to do is allow non-profits and other organizations to run after-school programs in our facilities. It will allow our kids to stay out of gangs, out of drugs and out of violence,” Dhillon said.

“Not only is it an investment in our children, it’s an investment in our community,” said Dhillon, a youth organizer.

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