Province Begins Purchase Process with Scotia Learning Centres on 12 Schools
Government has advised Scotia Learning Centres that it will exercise its contractual right to purchase 12 of its 13 schools in June and August of 2020 after the leases expire.
Government started the process to buy after several months of negotiating a new lease arrangement with Scotia Learning Centres did not result in a better deal than the purchase option.
In order to protect the right to purchase at prices under the existing agreement, government was required to give notice to Scotia Learning Centres of its decision to purchase, surrender or extend the lease of the 12 schools by Oct. 31.
The deadline for the thirteenth school has been extended.
The notice to purchase does not close the door for future conversations with Scotia Learning Centres before the end of the lease term in 2020.
The purchase price for the 12 schools totals $85.9 million.
"The Halifax, Chignecto-Central and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial school boards identified these schools as ones that need to stay open to meet the educational needs of students living in the surrounding communities," said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey.
"In these cases, purchasing is more affordable than extending the leases and provides the added benefit of ownership while providing a long-term solution to providing schools for these areas."
The schools include:
- Lockview High School, Halifax Regional School Board
- St. Margarets Bay Elementary School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Madeline Symonds Middle School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Park West School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Portland Estates Elementary School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Ridgecliff Middle School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Sackville Heights Elementary School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Bedford South School, Halifax Regional School Board
- Eastern Passage Education Centre, Halifax Regional School Board
- Ecole Beaubassin, Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
- Ecole Bois Joli, Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
- Enfield District School, Chignecto-Central Regional School Board
Scotia Learning Centres will continue to operate the schools until the leases expire.
Government and Scotia Learning Centres agreed to extend the notification date for Pictou Elementary to June 30, 2017. The extension will allow the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board to complete a school review.
There are 39 P3 schools in the province.
"Negotiations are ongoing with the other developers with the commitment to reach the best options for the province and for students and in the best interest of Nova Scotia taxpayers and students," said Ms. Casey.
Notification dates on schools owned by Nova Learning, Ashford Investments, Scotia Learning and the Hardman Group range from November 2016 to August 2018.