St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic School was founded by lay educators, Paul Paradiso and Grant Purdy. In 1997, they sought and received permission from the Archdiocese of Toronto to establish an independent Catholic secondary school in York Region.
In 1998, the Augustinian Fathers granted the not-for-profit corporation of St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic School thirty-three acres of property at Marylake in King City, Ontario for the express purpose of establishing a Catholic secondary school.
With the support of Rev. Lawrence Clark, OSA, many dedicated lay advisors, and the “founding families,” Villanova College opened its doors to twenty-six students in grades 7, 8, and 9 in September 1999. Its first home was Sacred Heart Parish in King City and on January 24, 2000, the school moved to its current location at Marylake.
The school’s commencement exercises for its first graduating class took place on June 26, 2003.

Villanova College will be home to 800 students when it has completed its permanent facilities.