Many of our province’s schools are aging and are in need of upgrades or renovations.
But how does the province decide which ones are worked on first?
Provincial Minister Cathy Rogers says the province often receives requests from School districts stating what upgrades are needed.
She says from there the government has to figure out whether a mid life upgrade can be done.
“If at that time you find that it is cost effective to do some renovations and structural, electricity or airflow changes, then it is certainly an opportunity to extend the life of the schools. This is always a preference when it is possible,” Rogers says.
Rogers says there have been many examples in the past, where mid life upgrades were not done, “We considered what renovations could be done too late in the life phase, so then it makes it so it is not worth renovating. We’ve now started a new process and all over the province will keep track of when a mid-life upgrade is due. As we look at the age of schools, it is best to invest in maintenance and upgrade as needed.”
