Ste Anne vocational high school to be built by 2028

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This article was published 30/03/2025 (361 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Education Minister Tracy Schmidt confirmed that the new Ste Anne regional high school revealed March 20 in the provincial budget will have vocational programming.

“We’re currently working very closely with the school division to make sure that the new high school in Ste Anne, which we’re so excited about, will have the vocational facilities incorporated that they need,” said Schmidt.

The plan is to start construction in 2027 with an opening date of September 2028.

At Seine River School Division’s board meeting March 25, board chair Wendy Bloomfield and superintendent Colin Campbell said talks on details like what programs could be included and the size of the school have not started yet.

Bloomfield also told The Carillon that she met with Minister Schmidt ahead of the budget announcement on March 19, when she first learned Ste Anne would be getting a high school. Bloomfield said Schmidt, who is also minister of Early Childhood Learning, told her that department staff would be reaching out as soon as possible to discuss details including any plans for a daycare in the new school.

The budget does say that $124.1 million is being invested to create hundreds of new daycare spaces.

“We were also told that the department will also be taking the lead in the design, delivery and budget oversight,” responded Bloomfield via email.

The budget reads that, “a new common design standard will lower costs per school and ensure all Manitoba schools are built by Manitoba workers. Most importantly, this new plan will ensure that kids in every region of the province will have the same high-quality schools.”

The province is building four new K-8 schools first at a cost of $20 million. Seven more schools will be built over the next two years, including Ste Anne’s new high school.

“We envision that our high schools will incorporate some of that standard design. We’ll probably have to vary a little bit,” said Schmidt.

The tariff threat from the U.S. is not expected to halt construction, according to the minister.

“These Trump tariffs are something that is looming over all Manitobans right now. But luckily something I’ve learned is that when we’re talking about the construction of new schools, whether we’re talking about cement, steel, that’s all locally procured.

“On the physical structure of the school, hopefully we will be within budget,” said Schmidt.

The vocational character of the school means classes can be offered as unaccredited, accredited, or work experience. What can be offered will be up to things like cost and instructor availability.

Unaccredited classes would resemble traditional wood shop or culinary classes seen at other high schools. They could also be more specialized like aerospace, but not meet the standards required for accreditation through the curriculum.

Accredited classes would need to be taught by a Journeyperson Red Seal instructor who has at least started school to get a teacher degree. That can be a tough ask for people looking at the dollars available in industries short on workers, especially for a rural school that might be a commute for qualified instructors.

The work experience option gives credits to students for every 110 hours on the job as an apprentice related to the program they signed up for.

Ste Anne was to have a vocational high school built by September 2027 under the previous Progressive Conservative government using a public-private partnership model. That was first paused and then cancelled early last year a few months after the NDP won the last election.

Previous Seine River administration were in talks with the previous government leading up to the October 2023 election to work out the details of a new school.

The previous plan was to build one for 500 to 700 students, depending on population projections. Former superintendent Ryan Anderson said the former plan was to make room for five vocational courses.

The Public Schools Finance Board purchased 15 acres of land in a new residential subdivision off Caledonia Path, east of the existing Ste Anne Complex, which houses Ste Anne Immersion, Ste Anne Elementary, and Ste Anne Collegiate for a new Ste Anne high school. Trustees reviewed the $1.3-million purchase at a June 14, 2022 special meeting.

Talks started in 2023 with DSFM school division to share facilities at a new regional high school in Ste Anne. DSFM runs the French schools in Ste Anne, La Broquerie, Lorette and Ile des Chenes.

The idea of reaching out to other neighbouring school divisions to share facilities was also floated at prior school board meetings.

Hanover School Division’s Steinbach Regional Secondary School was used as an example where Ste Anne could offer different vocational programs to the benefit of students in both school divisions.

“Regarding working in collaboration with neighbouring school divisions, SRSD is always open to that concept, but as of today we really don’t have any details to start collaborating about,” said Bloomfield.

Population growth in the Southeast is filling schools across several school divisions.

A new elementary school in Steinbach is to open in the fall, and Green Valley School in Grunthal was the only other school to get capital funding in this budget. Its previously announced new gym and renovation is now going to tender.

“We know that the need is great in many communities across the province, particularly in the southern part of our province,” said Schmidt.