BEDFORD, N.S. — Nova Scotia added 12 new projects at a total cost of $85 million over five years to the province's school capital plan, including a new high school for Bedford and renos to create skilled trade centres.
Education Minister Zach Churchill made the announcement on Thursday at a news conference held at Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford,
The projects include a new Grade 9 to 12 high school to be built in Bedford Ravines on Broad Street, at a site that already has a previously announced elementary school project in progress. The property is big enough for both facilities but has not yet been cleared.
The new high school will serve about 1,200 students and is projected to be finished in 2023-2024.
The total also includes the $28.5 million already announced for the purchase of the former Newbridge Acadamy facility in Dartmouth, which will be converted to a new high school for the Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial, servicing students studying in French.
In the Annapolis Valley, a building will be bought and renovated to accommodate the West Hants Education Centre's alternative high school, which has 23 students, and the adult high school, which has 32 students. The schools are currently leasing space and the funding will allow for a permanent location.
New renovation projects announced Thursday include the installation of skilled trades facilities at the North Nova Education Centre in New Glasgow, Ecole seondaire de Par-en-Bas in Tusket, East Antigonish Education Centre in Monastery, Cape Breton Highlands Education Centre in Margaree Harbour, and Liverpool Regional High School.
The Liverpool school is also getting roof repairs to fix water leaks.
Renos at the French-language Ecole acadienne de Truro will relocate a parking lot and a playground to provide more separation between the two.
The pre-primary to Grade 9 Bicentennial School in Dartmouth will have exterior brick work repaired and improved classroom space.
A new building will be built in Hebbville to house a school bus garage.
Individual cost breakdowns are not finalized because the projects still have to go through the tendering process.
Churchill said the projects reflect "particularly emergent issues" the province is dealing with including rapid population growth in the capital region, programming commitments and necessary facility upgrades.
He recognized that not all communities' wish list items are being addressed at this time.
"There's capital needs across the province and of course many communities want new schools," Churchill said. "We have a certain amount of budget - which has been very generous - that we're able to work with but of course doesn't allow us to tackle every single capital project that we need. So the criteria that we used for this particular case was looking at the most emergent needs we have in the system, the population growth here in Halifax is of course one of them. We've got communities growing in Bedford, CSAP population has gone up, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education enrollment has gone up just this year by 1,500 students, so we have to respond to that enrollment growth. That's a good problem to have, by the way, a growing, strong, vibrant capital region and we want to make sure that we have high quality schools in place to accommodate new students and growing families here in Halifax."
The renovations for skilled trades centres addresses a previous gap in provincial curriculum, he said, adding that having the facilities will open future job opportunities for students who want to pursue careers in that area.
Thursday's announcement is in addition to the $300-million commitment for school projects over five years announced in April, 2018. Those projects are still in progress, with one, the Ferrisview Elementary in North Sydney, already complete.
Another, a commitment for a new CSAP school in peninsular Halifax has not yet gotten past the site selection process.
"As anyone who's looking at purchasing land or property on the peninsula knows, it's challenging right now," Churchill said.
The size and grade configuration of the French school is yet to be determined.
Tory education critic Tim Halman lauded the announcement of new projects but also pointed out more communities are still waiting for good news for their own areas.
"Let's not forget there are a lot of communities in Nova Scotia that are still looking for that open communication, that transparency as to what's happening with their schools," Halman said. "In particular, you look at Springhill and Wedgeport, I know those communities are looking for some clarification as to timelines."
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