School Sites Announced for Halifax-area Schools

Students in Eastern Passage and South Dartmouth are closer to getting new, modern schools in their communities.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey announced today, April 16, the sites for a new high school and Primary-to-Grade 9 school for the Halifax Regional School Board.

"I am pleased to say we are able to provide students and their parents with safe, modern learning environments that are in familiar areas and can be easily accessed within their communities," said Ms. Casey.

"Government has made a commitment to renew, refocus and rebuild our education system and I want to ensure we give students and their families the resources that will help to increase student achievement and success in schools that will meet their needs for years to come."

In Eastern Passage, the new high school will be built on former municipal property at the Eastern Passage Commons.

In south Dartmouth, a new P-9 school will replace aging Southdale-North Woodside and Prince Arthur Junior High, bringing the students in the community together under one roof. It will be built on the former junior high school property.

The two school projects were included in the 2014-15 capital plan.

"Education is a priority and this approval will allow us to move to the next steps to get these much-anticipated schools built as efficiently as possible in those communities," said Ms. Casey

A school steering team will be established in each community for input to the project management and design teams throughout the design phases. The steering teams will work with Halifax Regional School Board and the departments of Education and Early Childhood Development and Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal over the next several months to develop the design before construction begins.