Roof replacement needed at 10 BSD schools

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This article was published 02/10/2024 (550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon School Division informed the provincial government in May of 10 schools in need of roof replacement, but none of the projects has been approved, according to secretary-treasurer Denis Labossiere.

The list of schools was submitted to the provincial Public Schools Finance Board on May 17 as part of BSD’s five-year capital plan. The schools include Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School and Meadows, Earl Oxford, Waverly Park, Kirkcaldy Heights, J.R. Reid, King George, George Fitton, Riverheights and Riverview schools.

While École Harrison was initially part of the list, Labossiere said, its roof replacement project was awarded in July 2023.

“The $3.13-million roof remediation at École Harrison is expected to be completed by the end of October and remains the only roof project currently underway within the division,” he told the Sun in an email.

“At this time, no other roof projects have been approved for construction by the province for BSD. We’ve identified 10 schools that need roof replacements in the next five years and the areas to replace on schools range from 2,250 to 50,000 square feet,” he said.

“Roof replacement costs vary by project; the costs are not estimated/determined until the Department of Consumer Protection and Government Services approves the project for design and appoints a consultant to the project.”

Labossiere said the approval process “takes time,” with the timeline for responses varying from year to year. The division, he added, has taken steps to ensure safety and prevent further damage while awaiting a response.

“We keep the province updated with any roof issues we are experiencing,” he said.

“The division has implemented regular checks on specific roofs during storm events outside of regular hours to ensure leaks are dealt with and water is cleaned up promptly. Patches and repairs are applied to sections of roofs with leaks.”

For roofs that have continuous problems or have a large section requiring repairs, he said, a Built-Up Roof (BUR) membrane is applied to prolong the failing roof membrane “until such time the roof is replaced by the province.”

Labossiere said schools are prioritized based on the condition of their roofs.

“This is determined by items such as third-party reports, age of the roof and how often roof leaks or has been patched up.”

A provincial spokesperson told the Sun the five-year capital plans submitted by all school divisions are prioritized and reviewed by the Department of Consumer Protection and Government Services.

“The province’s education capital plan is approved as part of the government’s budget estimates process. School divisions will be advised of project approvals upon the approval of the 2025 budget,” the spokesperson said in an email. “Capital projects are prioritized based on multiple factors such as health and safety, enrolment pressures, space utilization, building conditions, and school division priorities.”

Opposition education critic Grant Jackson blasted the provincial government for dragging its feet.

“The delay is completely unacceptable. The province requires these plans to be submitted but then fails to respond to school divisions, which is a clear sign of operating in bad faith by the provincial Department of Education,” he told the Sun in an interview.

“These schools need renovation. In my meeting with the Brandon School Division, they informed me that while the average age of schools in Manitoba is about 30 years, the average age of schools within the Brandon School Division is significantly higher.”

There has been “radio silence” from the NDP government on both new school construction and renovation of existing schools, Jackson said.

The school division, he said, is in a “tough spot” now, as it must rely on provincial funding while also “not wanting to rock the boat.”

“It’s my duty to advocate for Brandon and I will persist in efforts to ensure the NDP does not overlook the Wheat City and recognizes the necessity of investing in new school construction and renovations here,” he said.

Jackson said there are ongoing efforts to advocate for funding at the legislative level, including a recent petition launched by the Progressive Conservative caucus urging the NDP government to reverse cuts to new school construction funding.

The Tories hope to collect several thousand signatures on it and present that to the education minister later this month, he said.

The superintendents of Beautiful Plains, Mountain View, Park West and Turtle Mountain school divisions did not respond to Sun’s calls and emails.

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