The Bluewater District School Board is struggling with its budget and closing schools may be the only solution.
The board is looking at submitting a $197-million budget to the province with a $450,000 deficit. But the board has excess space of about 30 per cent costing it $5-million a year.
Business committee chair Jim Dawson says that just can't go on.
"It absolutely cannot, so that's something that's a high priority right now is to deal with that unused space," says Dawson.
Dawson admits people are not going to be happy with the possibility of school closures.
"It won't be popular that's for sure, particularly if it's your community that's being affected, so it's not going to be an easy task, but it's something that we have to do," he says.
Dawson says the Accommodation Review Process will likely proceed in the fall. At that point, schools at risk of closure will be identified.
The Bluewater Board has to submit its budget by the end of June.