Substantial completion is expected July 2025
2024
The long-delayed contract for a new school in Halifax’s north end was announced on Wednesday.
A Nova Scotia government order in council shows the tender for construction of the replacement for St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary School was awarded to Marco Group Ltd. for $45.7 million.
Marco was the lowest of three bids the province received for the project, but it is still well above the initial budget of $31.3 million from when the replacement project was announced in 2021.
Public Works Minister Kim Masland said late last year that officials in her department were seeing “significant cost escalations” for construction projects because of supply chain demands, labour shortages and more expensive materials.
In an email Wednesday, department spokesperson Gary Andrea said officials are working with contractors “through value engineering to achieve some cost reductions to the overall construction budgets.”
The government also announced Wednesday that RCS Construction was awarded the tender for the new Conseil Scolaire Acadien school in Lower Saulnierville in Clare. The winning bid is for $37.8 million.
The new school, which will host students from pre-primary to Grade 6, is expected to be ready for the 2024-25 school year.
The news of the tender for St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary, or SJAM as it was referred to in the neighbourhood, has been a long time coming for students and families. The new school will house students from pre-primary to Grade 6.
Originally announced as a renovation project in 2018, it was later determined the school would be replaced at its existing site on Russell Street. At that time, it was expected students would be in the new school by 2023.
Since then, the project scope and size was changed to add a fourth floor and additional programming. Demolition of the old school, parts of which were about 100 years old, happened last summer. At that time it was expected construction on the new school would begin this past January.
As dates have come and gone, students have been busing across town to École Beaufort on Walnut Street and parents have expressed frustration about the limited information they were receiving about the project’s progress.
The current expected opening date of the new SJAM is September 2024 and Education Minister Becky Druhan said last week that she expects that to remain the case.
“We’re really excited about that school and we know the community is eager and excited about that school, as well,” she told reporters following a cabinet meeting.
Weblink: Tender awarded for St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary replacement
Families,
The tender for the project to replace St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary has been awarded to Marco Construction Limited.
We will continue to provide updates as the project progresses. You can also find up-to-date information here.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Kavita Khanna P.Eng.,MBA
Director Of Operations Services
Elementary students and preschoolers in north end Halifax will have to wait another year to move into their new school on Russell Street.
The opening of St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary, known as SJAM in the community, is now scheduled for September 2025. Students have been attending class in the south end at the former Beaufort school since 2021.
“With this project there was a delay in awarding the contract and unsuitable material needed to be removed from the site when construction began, adding additional time to the overall schedule,” said Gary Andrea, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, in a statement.
A letter to parents from Kavita Khanna, director of operations services for Halifax Regional Centre for Education, said shortages of material, equipment and labour are also contributing to delays.
Jamesie Coolican, a parent of two students at the school, said her kids are frustrated with the delays.
“My daughter, who’s in Grade 6, was supposed to be the first graduating year because they were supposed to be in the [new] school after two years,” she said.
Coolican said the temporary school doesn’t have a gymnasium, so physical education classes take place in a classroom. She said assemblies can only happen outdoors.
“We haven’t been able to have those kinds of gatherings and so there is a big loss to the community.”
Coolican said most children are on the bus for 30 minutes to get to the temporary location on Walnut Street. By comparison, the construction site where the new school is being built is a five minute walk from Coolican’s home.
Karen Wright, executive director of North End Community Day Care Centre, said the distance during construction is having an affect on how they operate. For example, SJAM students who attend the daycare before and after school used to be able to walk next door for lunch.
“We’re packing lunches here and we’re delivering hot lunches down to the school for them.”
The daycare is also planning to move into the new SJAM building which would also allow it to expand and welcome infants. Currently, 75 children from 18 months to 12 years old receive care.
Wright said the additional delay has created an unknown for the non-profit daycare. She said the building where they currently operate has been sold and now she’s working to see if the new owner will let them stay another year.
“We’re excited to partner with the school and kind of create seamless child care,’ Wright said. “In the interim … it’s kind of just a wait-and-see game.”
Weblink: Opening of new St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary in Halifax delayed until 2025
Families,
I am excited to provide you with an update on the project to replace St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary.
Project Status
Since our last update, the tender for the project was issued, and bids are currently under review. We anticipate that construction will begin next month. To see the latest project update report, click here.
Art
Halifax Regional Arts has begun planning the art for the new school. A meeting was held on March 28 to discuss how to engage the community throughout the process, and what the two major art installments could look like. Here’s what we know about the projects so far:
Mosaic Tile
A large mosaic tile piece will be installed in the floor at the main entrance. All students and staff will have the opportunity to contribute to this work.
Story Wall
Once the school opens and students and staff are settled, work will begin on the wall that reflects the rich and diverse story of SJAM, its students and the surrounding community. We are excited to invite the entire school community to help us capture and create this story through art.
What’s Next?
We are committed to providing updates as the project progresses. You can also find all up-to-date information here.
Finally, at the last SST meeting, members asked about an upgrade to the heating system at the current SJAM site. I am confirming that the heating system will be upgraded in the coming months. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Kavita Khanna P.Eng.,
MBA Director Of Operations Services
Letter: SJAM Update April 23.pdf
Status
Bids for the construction of the building have been received and are currently under review.
Anticipated new building construction to start May 2023
School building targeted construction completion fall of 2024
Report: SJAM Project Status April 2023.pdf
Families,
The tender for the project to replace St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary is now live! Want to see what the school might look like? Click here to see some 3D renderings of the project, as well as floor plans and the design of the school site. Building a new school is exciting!
We’ll be sure to update you as the project continues.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Letter: SJAM Update Feb 16, 2023.pdf
The HRCE website from January 19, 2023 still identifies that construction is expected to start in the summer of 2021 with an anticipated completion date in 2023.
Website Archive: Replacement School for SJAM | Halifax Regional Centre for Education
Frustration is growing among parents who feel left in the dark while they wait for construction of a new school in the north end of Halifax to begin.
In 2021, the province announced that a replacement school would be built on the existing site of St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary School on Russell Street by 2023.
But construction has not yet begun, and there have only been few updates from the Halifax Regional Centre for Education in the two years since student relocation to Ecole Beaufort was announced in early 2021.
“I checked the Public Works website, the tender hasn’t been gone out to issue yet, so those delays need to be communicated to us,” said Punchalee Clair in early January. Her five-year-old spends an hour on the bus every afternoon to get to the temporary school location on Walnut Street.
The Halifax Regional Centre for Education provided an updated timeline for the project in an letter emailed to families on Jan. 17 from Kavita Khanna, the director of operations services.
According to the new timeline, the tender for the project will be issued by the end of this month and a construction contract award will be issued by the end of March.
The target occupancy date is September 2024.
The letter said the scope and design of the project were changed after a fourth floor was added to the project for additional classrooms space and a new child-care centre and play space were also added.
Construction labour shortages and material and equipment delays also contributed to the reevaluation of timelines, the letter said. Updated information on the progress of the school will be posted online.
In the meantime, parents worry children are spending hours on the bus each day for over two years while they attend the temporary school, about four kilometres away. They feel their children have been outside of their community with no end in sight.
Waiting at her bus stop, Grade 3 student Sophie Crossland-Page said she wishes her bus trips to school were shorter.
“I would just like to have a new school because the one that we’re going to now is also very old,” she said.
Her mother, Kate Crossland-Page, says the children are being forgotten about because the North End is traditionally seen as a “have not” area.
Clair said parents understand that projects get delayed, but don’t understand why the delays aren’t being communicated and why the community isn’t being consulted by the province.
The Halifax Regional Centre for Education initially announced that demolition of the school would take place in late 2021, but it was delayed until the summer of 2022. In a June update, the board said construction on the building would begin in January 2023.
The new school is part of the Nova Scotia School Capital Plan.
“[Parents are] looking at an open gravel space where nothing, no work has been done,” said Suzy Hansen, NDP MLA for Halifax Needham.
Hansen said she’s been sharing parents’ concerns with the province since last October.
“I’ve called a few times already and I haven’t had any luck and I’m an MLA,” said Hansen, who has three children who attend the school.
She said the community has been waiting for this school for 15 years, and people are excited, but at the same time are frustrated when no updates are shared by the province.
“We need a school. We need it now. Our kids deserve better, right? So why aren’t we doing that?” said Hansen.
Kim Fry was a teacher in Toronto for 20 years and moved to Halifax last year. She says the one thing that stands out about the education system in Nova Scotia is the lack of school boards and school board trustees.
“In Ontario, I would know exactly who to call and who to exert pressure on. And here it’s very opaque. It is just the minister of education really, and they’re so far removed and also don’t represent this community. There’s no one who represents this community who can actually exert that political pressure.”
Occupancy date is now described to be "SEPTEMBER 2024"
Families,
Based on information recently received from Nova Scotia Department of Public Works, I am writing to provide an update on the project to replace St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary.
The updated timeline for the project is as follows:
Tender issue End of January 2023
Construction Contract Award End of March 2023
Occupancy (target) September 2024
To address growth in the area, a fourth floor was added to the project for additional classrooms and learning space. A new childcare centre and extra play space on the roof were also added. As a result, the scope and design of the project has been revised to accommodate these important changes.
The ongoing impacts of construction labour shortages and delays of materials and equipment were also considered as timelines were reevaluated.
We know this is an exciting project for the community and we are committed to opening the school as soon as possible. We know the changes to the scope will be of great benefit to students, staff and the community. We appreciate your patience as the work continues.
We will continue to provide updates as the project progresses. You can also find up-to-date information here).
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Kavita Khanna
P.Eng., MBA Director Of Operations Services
2023
School is now predicted to be completed by "WINTER 2024"
Families,
I am pleased to share a few exciting updates on the project to replace St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary School.
We have received confirmation that the school is expected to be completed in the winter of 2024. We will work closely with the school community on a transition plan closer to this date so we can welcome students into their new school and celebrate its grand opening.
Demolition of the old building is now underway and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month. Construction is expected to begin in January 2023. To view the most current Project Status Report, click here.
We are also excited to share that space for a child care centre will be included within the new school. The North End Community Day Care (NECDC) will move into this space when the school opens. As many of you may have experienced first-hand, the not-for-profit centre has a long-standing history of delivering exceptional care to children in the community. This centre will support the province’s commitment to transform the delivery of child care and ensure families across Nova Scotia have access to affordable, quality and inclusive child care spaces.
Finally, I would like to confirm that St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary will keep its name. The principal recently engaged members of the School Advisory Council (SAC), students, staff and the community in a naming/renaming process, as outlined in HRCE’s Naming or Renaming Schools Policy. I am pleased to support and accept their recommendation and want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in this process. I am especially appreciative to the committee for their time and efforts. You can read the full report, here.
You can expect regular communication as construction of the new school progresses. You can also find information at hrce.ca .
Enjoy a healthy and safe summer vacation!
With thanks,
Elwin LeRoux
Regional Executive Director of Education Halifax Regional Centre for Education
Demolition of existing building to be complete June 30
New building construction to start January 2023
School building completion in winter of 2024
2022
Families,
On behalf of the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, I am happy to share this progress update on the project to replace St. Joseph’s – A. McKay Elementary School.
School Steering Team The School Steering Team (SST) held its third meeting on October 6. You can find the agenda and minutes from all SST meetings on the HRCE website at https://www.hrce.ca/about-hrce/operations-services/capitalprojects/replacement-school-sjam . (Please note: Minutes from the Oct. 6 meeting will be posted once they are approved.)
Demolition of Existing School
The project has been awarded to Starfish Demolition. Over the next three months, they will undertake the demolition and abatement work necessary to ready the site for construction of the new building. Click here to learn more.
More Information
As the planning and construction of the new school progresses, we will continue to provide you with new information. Updates, agendas, minutes, photos and more will be posted on the HRCE website at https://www.hrce.ca/about-hrce/operations-services/capital-projects/replacement-school-sjam .
The HRCE website from March 8, 2021 identifies that the school is expected to be completed in 2023.
Website Archive: Replacement School for SJAM | Halifax Regional Centre for Education Mar 8 2021
A School Steering Team (SST) has been created to provide input to government to support the design process. The SST include staff from SJAM, members of the School Advisory Council, along with staff from HRCE and the provincial government.
Final decisions on the design of the school rests with the provincial government, as represented by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, and the Department of Infrastructure and Housing.
The SST held its first meeting on February 11, 2021.
Document: SJAM SST Meeting 1 Agenda.pdf
Document: SJAM SST Meeting 1 Minutes.pdf
Document: SJAM SST Terms of Reference.pdf
January 20, 2021
Dear Families:
I am writing with exciting news! As you’ve likely heard, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) announced in its 2019-24 Capital Plan that a replacement for St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay (SJAM) will be built on the current school site. Preparation is now underway and construction is expected to start in the summer of 2021.
While the new school is under construction, students and staff will be required to relocate to a new space for two school years. We explored all options that kept students as close to their current neighbourhood as possible. As we looked at those options, we asked members of the School Advisory Committee (SAC) what we needed to consider. Loud and clear, we heard the most important consideration was keeping the entire student body together.
I am excited to share that we are fortunate to be able to honour this request, and SJAM, in its entirety, is able to temporarily move to the former Beaufort School building, located on the corner of Walnut and Watt Streets. Beaufort is fully functional as an elementary school, as it was recently used to house students and staff while the new LeMarchant-St. Thomas was under construction. In an upcoming message, we’ll send along some photos of the building.
We still have many details to work out between now and next September, but I want to assure you that we will work alongside the school’s administration, the SAC and the school community to plan for a smooth transition. Please note that HRCE will provide bus transportation for students to Beaufort.
I recognize that SJAM is a part of the fabric of the North End. I know that many community partners, such as the Mulgrave Park Caring and Learning Centre, the Community Y, the North Branch Library, Veith House, various daycare programs – and countless other volunteers wrap their arms around SJAM students each and every day. Please know that we are committed to ensuring these supports remain in place. These partnerships are vital to our students’ academic achievement and well-being.
Please look forward to regular communication as this process unfolds from HRCE and your school. We will also share information and updates at www.hrce.ca and on the SJAM website.
Stay well,
Elwin LeRoux,
Regional Executive Director of Education
Letter: SJAM Replacement 20Jan 2021.pdf
2021
2018
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December 2024
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Substantial completion is expected July 2025