It was opened in 2001 along with its twin school J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate.

The cafeteria is the physical divider between the two high schools and is shared by both, along with the theatre and the football field.

The layouts of Notre Dame and Richardson are essentially identical except for a few minor differences in the shop classrooms and the gymnasiums.

Notre Dame was built amidst a large amount of suburban development, which contributes much of the student body.

Since the opening of the school, there has been a lot of residential and commercial development in the area.