The Province will build new schools in four growing communities in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM): Timberlea, Middle Sackville, Port Wallace and Bedford. A site on Radcliffe Drive has also been selected for the Clayton Park-Fairview Junior High School.
The four new HRM schools, announced as part of the Province's 2023 Capital Plan, will help address growth pressures in four fast-growing HRM communities.
The new schools are in addition to three Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) and two Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) schools that are already moving toward or under construction in HRM. Early projections show the nine new HRM schools will have combined space for more than 8,000 students.
"Schools are cornerstones of their communities, fostering connection and helping children learn and thrive," said Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. "Thousands of students in communities across HRM will benefit from the nine schools moving through our capital process, ensuring we are supporting families throughout the province's largest and fastest growing city."
Land options for the four new school sites are being acquired through the government's $50-million strategic land envelope. The Department of Public Works is in the final stages of acquiring land in Middle Sackville, in Port Wallace's Lake Charles area and in Bedford.
Once construction is complete, all three of those schools are expected to welcome elementary and junior high students.
In Timberlea, a site on Maple Grove Avenue has been recommended by the Department of Public Works for a new pre-primary to Grade 8 school that includes a child-care centre. The site selection report is available on the HRCE website.
The Clayton Park-Fairview Junior High School announced in 2018 is also now advancing to the planning and design phase and will be located on Radcliffe Drive. The school will have capacity for 950 students in Grades 6 to 9. A school steering team made up of community members and school staff will help inform design work.
Quotes:
"As Chair of the SAC, I am thrilled to hear that the new school for the Clayton Park-Fairview area will be built in our community of Clayton Park West. This school was announced back in 2018, and the needs of the area have only increased since that time. We are so happy that the school will be built in our community and benefit so many wonderful students. I'm looking forward to the start of construction!"
Karen Saweczko, School Advisory Council Chair, Park West School
Quick Facts:
- the three HRCE schools already advancing through the school capital process are Clayton Park-Fairview Junior High, St. Joseph's-Alexander McKay Elementary and Eastern Shore Consolidated
- the Province is also making progress on two new Conseil scolaire acadien provincial schools in HRM: École sur la péninsule d'Halifax and École des Beaux-Marais in Porters Lake
- this year, the Province is investing in major infrastructure maintenance at more than a dozen HRCE schools, with projects including new or upgraded roofs, windows and heating equipment
Additional Resources:
- HRCE Capital Projects: https://www.hrce.ca/about-hrce/operations-services/capital-projects
- News release - School Capital Plan Addresses Growth, Invests in New and Existing Schools Across Nova Scotia: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/06/16/school-capital-plan-addresses-growth-invests-new-and-existing-schools-across-nova
- School Advisory Councils: https://www.ednet.ns.ca/SAC
