Oaklands

De La Salle College "Oaklands," commonly known as "Del," is an independent, co-educational Catholic college preparatory school located at 131 Farnham Avenue in Toronto, Ontario. Originally established in 1851 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the institution operates under the Lasallian tradition with the motto "Signum Fidei" or Sign of Faith. While its roots date back to the mid-nineteenth century, the school assumed its current independent form in 1994. It serves students from grades five through twelve, maintaining a rigorous liberal arts curriculum grounded in Roman Catholic values and the educational philosophy of its patron, Jean-Baptiste de La Salle.

The historical trajectory of Oaklands is marked by a significant administrative shift during the late twentieth century. From 1967 to 1994, the college operated as part of the public separate school system, first under the Metropolitan Separate School Board and later the Toronto Catholic District School Board. During this period, it functioned primarily as a secondary institution before reverting to independent status in 1994. Following this privatization, the public school system directly replaced the former entity with Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School, which opened nearby in 1998. This transition allowed De La Salle to return to its original foundation as a private entity while continuing its long-standing mission within the global Lasallian network.

Today, the school remains an active educational hub with an enrollment of approximately 680 students. It is administered by the Christian Brothers alongside a large body of lay colleagues, connecting it to a worldwide community of over 800,000 students. The campus upholds traditions established nearly two centuries ago, emphasizing service through its slogan, "Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve." With school colors of green and red and a mascot named Sal the Squirrel, De La Salle College "Oaklands" continues to function as a prominent fixture in Toronto's educational landscape, bridging its rich nineteenth-century origins with modern independent schooling.