Quick Facts
- Our school welcomes approximately 900 students from Grade 9 to 12 each year.
- We offer pathways to university, college, apprenticeship and the world of work. Students can take part in Advanced Placement, Specialized Gifted Program, two Specialist High Skills Major Programs (Hospitality and Applied Research), Dual Support Program.
- Students can earn: French Immersion Certificates, DELF accreditation, International Certificate, Business Studies Certificate.
- Students join us from elementary schools across the District.
Mission Statement
We at Lisgar Collegiate Institute are committed to providing learning and working environments where all individuals feel safe, valued, respected, and welcome.
Registration
Interested in registering your child at our school? Contact us, visit our Information for Prospective Students page, or visit the OCDSB Registration page.
About Our School
Given Lisgar’s central location, we are ideally positioned to integrate our students’ learning with the resources available in the nation’s capital. Lisgar Collegiate Institute offers a variety of courses across a full range of programs at the university, college, and open levels. Consistent with Lisgar’s long tradition of excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics, students pursue their full potential as responsible individuals.
In 1874, the Ottawa Collegiate Institute, successor to the Dalhousie District Grammar School founded in 1843, moved to Lisgar Street. In 1928, the name Lisgar Collegiate Institute was adopted in honour of Sir John Young, Lord Lisgar, and Canada’s second Governor-General. We are uniquely situated in the downtown community and welcome students from across the region. We thrive on the cultural diversity of our students and our international outlook.
At Lisgar Collegiate Institute, we respectfully acknowledge that our learning takes place on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people. Walk gently on this land as the Algonquin people have done for millennia before us. Thank you. Merci. Miigwech.
Every person at Lisgar contributes to our community and benefits from the synergy of the learning experience. Our student body reflects a wide mix of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.
Our teachers bring diverse backgrounds, scholarship, excellent subject knowledge and positive expectations to their classes. Our mandate is to help each student achieve their potential. Many of our staff, recognized for their teaching expertise, are called upon to serve as members of provincial and board curricula writing teams and to present at national and international conferences.
Parents and alumni regularly volunteer their help in all areas of our school life.
Academics
We offer a variety of courses in all disciplines, including:
- Classical Studies and International Languages
- International Advanced Placement Program: Available to all Lisgar students who wish to take university-level courses and equivalent credits for first year university courses from universities in Canada, the United States and many other countries. Courses include Calculus AB, European History, French Language, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition, Latin, Spanish, Music Theory and Statistics.
- Gifted Program: In 1957, the Gifted Program was established at LCI as the first program of its kind in Ontario.
- Extended French Program Package
- Third Languages: Spanish and Latin
- Co-operative Education and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
We continue to develop innovative learning approaches to challenge students in a changing world.
Arts
In our Music Program, we offer both Band and String Music with opportunities for students to participate in numerous musical groups including Orchestra, Concert Band, Choir, Jazz Ensembles and various Chamber Ensembles. In addition, we have a vibrant Visual Arts and Drama Program. We offer a wide range of enriching opportunities for learning and enjoyment beyond the traditional classroom milieu with our participation in such things as the Kiwanis Music Festival and Improv Games.
Special Education
Our Special Education Teachers offer:
- Remedial help in our Student Support Room as well as monitoring and educational support for students with individual education plans
- Assessments for students with learning exceptionalities
- Specialized Dual Support class
- Field trips to many nearby facilities such as Parliament, National Gallery, National Arts Centre, Museums
Our school offers:
- Five computer labs, six science labs and six mathematics classrooms with SmartBoards
- Two music rooms with individual practice rooms, vocal and ensemble rehearsal space, digital recording facilities, drama and visual arts studios
- Double gymnasium with balconies and weight room
- Alumni Auditorium with 670 seats
- Library with seating capacity for 75 students and access to 23 computers
A strong commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility is embedded throughout the OCDSB 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and captured within each area of focus: learning, well-being, and social responsibility. We strive to ensure that our school is a welcoming and safe place for students of all identities to feel valued and respected as they engage, learn, grow, explore, and discover. For more information, please visit the OCDSB’s Equity and Diversity website.