BCI traces its roots to 1909, but also succeeded what was then called Brantford Grammar School, which opened in 1852 to provide secondary education prior to 1871.

[1] Always a threat to qualify for OFSSA, BCI has won several provincial championships and regularly receives invites to travel overseas to compete against club teams.

The mandate of the program is to provide enrichment for students in the area of Leadership, Teamwork and Presentation through a unique integration model.

Students take academic level courses and work collaboratively with their peers in focused classes over the four years of high school.

Surrounded by their academically minded classmates, BCI-Laurier program students have the opportunity to develop confidence in their ability to lead, to be an effective member of a team, and to speak publicly to small and large groups; all extremely desirable skills in post-secondary and the world of work.

The Laurier program stopped accepting new applicants after 2021/2022 school year due to a variety of factors including the de-streaming of grade nine classrooms in Ontario.

No follow-up decision was made and the issue was left with the then newly amalgamated Grand Erie District School Board (which was created on 1 January 1999) to resolve.

[citation needed] In the summer of 2002, the Board received a report from its senior administration which encouraged trustees to deal with this issue.

[citation needed] In May 2005 the Board decided by motion to move forward with a community forum and to write to the Minister of Education to request financial assistance in order to revitalise BCI.

[citation needed] On 12 June 2006 the Board in Committee of the Whole approved moving forward with a "Request for Proposals" (RFP) for the architectural services for BCI's redevelopment, and directed the administration to prepare a report on transition plans and costs.

[citation needed] In August 2006 the trustees passed a motion with a two-thirds majority to reopen discussion on the location of BCI.

The Council reviewed the events of the previous several years where the Board consistently re-confirmed its decision to rebuild BCI on its current site.

Council said that they were shocked by the Board's reversal and they believe the decision was made without a commitment that land would be available for the relocated BCI within a short time frame.

[citation needed] The issue was particularly important to the city because a lot of work and planning to revitalise the downtown area had begun to show results.

The City said that demographics were not showing growth in south-west Brant and therefore building a new school in the area was difficult to comprehend.

The Mayor of Brantford outlined the timelines for the necessary amendment of the official plans which needed completing before the proposed school site could be developed.

Remarks by Ontario's Minister of Education, Kathleen Wynne,[4] the school's relocation included: "During my consultations in Brantford it became clear that some members of the community viewed this fact-finding process as an appeal of the Board’s decision concerning the future of BCI.

It would be inappropriate, and not in the best interest of public education, to have every school accommodation issue, all across this vast Province made in Toronto.