CALGARY – Alberta’s education minister says it’s not the NDP government’s fault that there will be a major delay in completing new schools and modernizing others.
Dave Eggen told a news conference in Calgary on Tuesday that about 100 projects which were to be completed starting next September are behind.
He said the delays range from a few months to a full year.
Scroll down for a full list of schools and anticipated opening dates.
Eggen said the former Progressive Conservative government was engaged in a “shell game” by making unrealistic promises when there was no chance the goals could be achieved.
READ MORE: PC government’s new school promises under fire
“The timelines are simply not realistic and stretch the capacity of school boards, provincial planners and contractors to get the job done,” Eggen said.
“This news will no doubt surprise, disappoint and even anger parents, students, and teachers across the province. I feel the same way. We must do better.”
Eggen is asking Alberta’s auditor general to look into the delays and provide advice to the new government on how to do better in the future.
“It has become painfully clear through the development of our school capital plan that the previous government was not being clear with Alberta families about the timelines and funding required for over 200 new school and school modernization projects,” said Eggen.
“As the new minister responsible, and as a parent, I’m extremely disappointed to learn that many of the schools our province desperately needs will not open on time. Alberta families have been waiting for these schools for a long time and they deserve a reason for the delays and assurance that this won’t happen again.”
Eggen expects a report before the end of the year.
READ MORE: Alberta committed to building schools despite fiscal challenges: province
The interim PC leader defended his party.
“I was infrastructure minister so I know this file,” said Ric McIver.
“When I was infrastructure minister, my staff was telling me the schools could be done, full stop – not maybe, not kind of – they could be done.
“So if they’re telling the current minister that they can’t, the only change that’s happened is political direction. So the minister ought to be looking at himself as the problem because clearly he’s the only thing that’s changed,” added McIver.
WATCH: More than 100 promised new schools in Alberta will open later than anticipated. Fletcher Kent explains.
PC MLA Sandra Jansen said she supports the auditor general looking into the situation, but added there was another part of the announcement that bothered her.
“It seems like every time an announcement is made there’s a throwback to ‘this is all the PC’s fault, so going forward, we’re going to have to spend more money.’ What I hear out of that press conference is, we’re going to have to spend more money,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Edmonton Catholic School District said, “the majority of these revised dates shouldn’t impact us.”
However, the St. Brendan replacement school (Kindergarten to Grade 9) was scheduled to open in September 2016 but has been pushed back to December 2016. Board Chair Debbie Engel spoke about interim plans on Tuesday afternoon.
“The one where the delay does affect us is probably the best possible one because it’s St. Brendan, which is the replacement school.”
Engel said the board will keep St. James School open until December and the 243 children can then move over to the replacement school when it’s ready.
“To us, there was not a lot of change,” she added. “We were not affected, other than a few months here or there.”
“We were kind of expecting some delays. The big news is that the promise is going to be fulfilled.”
She said St. John the 23rd – the new school in Windermere – is still going to open on time by September 2016. Engel said that is an important one because the area is dealing with “very pressing population growth.”
Edmonton Public Schools also spoke about the announcement.
“A couple of the delays are more significant than others,” said Board Chair Michael Janz. “It’s difficult because the delays vary project through project, but overall, we’re committed to getting these new schools open for September 2017. As a board, we’re committed to working with government and the community and the city to make sure we can do this. We know these schools are badly needed.”
Click here to visit the government’s website that tracks the school construction projects and their progress.
With files from Emily Mertz, Global News
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