Construction has begun on a new kindergarten to Grade 8 school in the Meadowlands development in the Rural Municipality of West St. Paul, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt announced on March 10.
"Kids in this community deserve to start their education in an environment that sets them up for success: with modern classrooms, on-site child care and a school they can walk to," said Schmidt. "This investment is about giving every student in West St. Paul the foundation they need to thrive."
The school will be built to an initial capacity of 675 students, with a core design accommodating up to 800 to support future enrolment growth. The facility will exceed 82,000 sq. ft. and include classroom spaces, a gymnasium, a multipurpose room and specialized learning areas including human ecology and applied technology. An integrated child-care facility will provide up to 104 infant and preschool spaces for children age zero to six, with 30 school-age, shared-use spaces for before- and after-school care, for a total of 134 new child-care spaces.
"Schools are the heart of our neighbourhoods, places where people come together and where learning, growth and opportunity take root," said Tony Kreml, superintendent, Seven Oaks School Division. "This new addition will strengthen the West St. Paul community by ensuring students have access to the resources, spaces and supports they need now and for years to come."
The building will incorporate a geothermal system to reduce operating costs and support long-term energy efficiency.
"The Seven Oaks School Division's board of trustees is proud to celebrate the upcoming construction of a new K-8 school to serve the growing community of West St. Paul. This much needed facility represents a meaningful investment in children, families and the long-term vitality of our community. As West St. Paul continues to grow, this new school will ensure that students have access to welcoming, modern learning spaces close to home," said Ed Ploszay, chairperson, Seven Oaks School Division board of trustees. "We extend our sincere appreciation to Education Minister Tracy Schmidt and MLA J.D. Devgan for their collaboration, leadership and steadfast support in bringing this project forward. Their commitment to working with our division and our community was instrumental in securing approval for a school that will benefit students for generations."
The new school is the first to be built under the Manitoba Jobs Agreement, which ensures contractors prioritize Manitoba workers and sets standards for wages, benefits and working conditions, the minister noted. The new policy will apply to large construction projects funded by the Manitoba government, including three other new schools starting construction in the coming months, ensuring that these major construction projects are built with good, family-supporting jobs in the trades, the minister noted.
This West St. Paul school is one of four new K-8 schools being constructed under the Manitoba government's bundled construction management delivery model, in which schools are designed and constructed with a fixed fee and a standardized layout.
"A standard school design allows us to move faster and spend smarter," said Schmidt. "Every dollar we save on design and procurement is a dollar we can put toward more schools, more child-care spaces and better outcomes for kids across Manitoba."
Manitoba Budget 2025 committed to constructing 11 new schools across the province, prioritizing the use of local labour to reduce costs and support Manitoba's workforce.
