The Manitoba government is building a new kindergarten to Grade 8 school in southwest Winnipeg that will welcome over 600 students from the growing community in Prairie Pointe, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt announced on February 12.
"Waverley is a great community and more and more young families are choosing to make their home here," said Schmidt. "This new school will help us keep up as this community grows so we can keep class sizes small and make sure kids have a great school to go to in their neighbourhood."
The new dual-track French and English K-8 school will be located on Castlebrook Drive between Landover Drive and Skyline Drive. It will also include 74 infant and preschool child-care spaces. The Pembina Trails School Division has seen a 17 per cent growth in students since 2019 and this school will be designed with potential future expansion in mind to accommodate enrolment growth into the coming years, said the minister.
"The Pembina Trails School Division expresses sincere gratitude to the government of Manitoba for their commitment to education and for the announcement of a new K-8 school in Waverley West," said Shelley Amos, superintendent, Pembina Trails School Division. "This investment will positively benefit our students and their families and foster a bright future for the community. It is important for Manitoba students to have the best possible learning environments and to be provided with the resources needed to get the most out of their education. Capital projects, such as a new school, strengthen communities and this new school in Prairie Pointe will increase the vitality of the community."
Design work on the new school is expected to start in the coming months with an anticipated construction start date in early 2026 and a targeted opening date of September 2027, noted Schmidt.
"This announcement is amazing news for Prairie Pointe," said Carrissa Reyes, mother and resident. "Schools are very important for learning and building valuable friendships. Our neighbourhood's kids will finally get to go to one school together and build a better sense of community. Thank you to the Manitoba government for building a new school for kids in our community. I look forward to seeing the school come to life and for two of my kids to attend there."
The school funding formula has been revamped for the 2025-26 school year to continue the priorities established in last year's funding including $6 million for capital support with principal and interest costs related to building schools, the minister said.
