No Ste Anne school in provincial announcements

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This article was published 16/02/2025 (403 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There were two new school announcements this week, but neither were for Ste Anne — at least not yet.

The provincial NDP government cancelled the previous PC government’s plan to build nine schools using the public-private partnership P3 model. One of those was to be a new vocational high school in Ste Anne, where schools are bursting with growing enrolment. The province now wishes to use a more traditional model of putting out tenders and taking out loans to pay the cost, which has a lower up-front cost and, according to the PCs, a higher long-term cost that would also slow builds.

“We look forward to more good news to come on the topic of new schools here in Manitoba. We’re aware of the need in Ste Anne, and we look forward to more announcements about where new schools will be built here in Manitoba,” said Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Tracy Schmidt Wednesday.

She promised more announcements to come soon this year.

The new kindergarten to Grade 8 schools in River East Transcona and Pembina Trails School Division are where two of those nine schools were to be located. They are both scheduled to be completed by fall 2027.

Seine River School Division (SRSD) superintendent Colin Campbell and board Chair Wendy Bloomfield both said they have heard nothing from the province on any potential new school.

“Nothing. We’re discouraged about that,” said Bloomfield.

Education deputy minister Brian O’Leary visited the Ste Anne school complex in the fall to see the crowded situation. There has been no discussions on any new school since, according to Campbell.

“I toured that school yesterday (Tuesday), the elementary school and it’s clear that there’s beyond a definite need for a school,” said Campbell,

He added that SRSD is open to holding off on the high school if it means getting an elementary school to help with the space issues.

“There’s always a way. We are just wanting our name to be called or that phone to ring to say you’re the one. And we will do whatever we need to do in moving students, moving staff in getting a new school in that community because it’s past the point of desperation that we need something in that community,” said Campbell.

The minister said the K-8 school announcements were a coincidence.

“I can certainly share that not all the schools that our government will build will just be in K to 8,” said Schmidt.

Ste Anne Immersion has 293 students, Ste Anne Collegiate 423, and Ste Anne Elementary 299.