4 new schools sought to address enrolment surge in Moncton area

Surging student enrolment has prompted a school board in the Moncton area to ask the province to build four new schools. 

The Anglophone East district education council voted Tuesday to request new schools in Moncton and Dieppe, as well as a mid-life upgrade for a school in Riverview. 

"We have seen an exponential growth in enrolment," Randy MacLean, the district superintendent, said in an interview after the meeting.

In June 2022, the district expected to start the 2022-23 school year with 16,850 students. It actually started with 18,007. Now, it has 18,520 students enrolled and projects having more than 22,000 within four years.

MacLean said even if the province approves the requests, it typically would take five years to design, build and open the schools.

The enrolment growth has led to non-teaching spaces in schools being used as classrooms, more portable classrooms dotting school lawns and a recent decision to reconfigure grades for some schools.

The education council has also requested to keep Bessborough, a school in Moncton's west end, open for 10 more years even once a new school in the area opens. 

But it was clear more schools would be needed even after those changes. 

MacLean recommended five projects:

• A mid-life upgrade of Riverview Middle School.
• A kindergarten to Grade 8 school in Moncton's north end.
• A kindergarten to Grade 8 school in Moncton's Sunny Brae area.
• A kindergarten to Grade 5 school to replace Bessborough.
• A kindergarten to Grade 5 school in Dieppe.

No specific locations were discussed, something that would be determined once the province opts to go ahead with the projects. MacLean said the requests are to address overcrowded schools in those areas and based on municipal plans to add more housing. 

The requests are in addition to previous requests. Those include a new high school in Moncton, a Grade 6-12 school in Dieppe, replacement of Salisbury Elementary School, a replacement school for Sunny Brae and Forest Glen schools, replacement of Mountain View School in Maple Hills, and upgrades or expansions of several other schools in Riverview and Tantramar.

The council votes on what projects to request the province fund. Each year, the education department issues a priority list.

This year, the province announced it would build three new schools province-wide, including one in the Shediac-area.

Council members on Tuesday said at that pace the province won't be able to meet the current demand for more classroom space.

They also expressed concern with a list of more than 400 maintenance projects, such as roof replacements or ventilation systems, estimated to cost $64 million. Each year the district gets about $2.9 million for items on that list. 

"Why is the government not funding more projects?" council member Dominic Vautour said during the meeting, looking at a camera livestreaming the meeting on Facebook.

"Mr. Hogan and Mr. Higgs, if you are listening, we need these projects built now," Vautour said, slamming his hand on the table.

"They're too busy gutting French immersion and DECs," council member Kristin Cavoukian said, referencing a bill introduced last week that would strip district education councils of decision-making power. 

The council voted to ask the province to fund 17 of the maintenance projects next year, estimated to cost just under $5.5 million.

They include work on the parking lot at Salisbury Regional School, window replacement at Riverside Consolidated School, and mechanical and electrical system work at Bernice MacNaughton High School.

CBC asked the Education Department if it would increase spending in response to higher enrolment.

Morgan Bell, a spokesperson for the department, said in a statement it would "continue to monitor the enrolment numbers in order to help each school district as needed."