MOOSE JAW — Inflation is taking a bite out of the budget for the proposed joint-use school, which means students might have to use old furniture and equipment when learning in the new school.
The project’s total cost is $46.9 million. Construction is pegged at $38.4 million, while other items bump up the cost, such as design allowances, cost increases, consultant fees, road construction, and furniture and equipment.
The $38.4 million is roughly $2.9 million — 7.5 per cent — above the original construction budget, but the estimate will continue to be refined as progress is made on the design, according to project manager Colliers.
Inflation in Saskatchewan is running at roughly 3.70 per cent, and since project costs are based on 2019 numbers, that price is “probably really north of that,” Curt Van Parys, chief financial officer with Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, said during a recent board meeting. He also thought inflation was much higher than was being reported.
Holy Trinity and partner Prairie South School Division have already experienced a reduction of $600,000 toward furniture items, to $2 million from $2.6 million, he continued.
“I really see that that’s going to be a bit of a challenge. … We need new furniture and equipment in a new school. Redeploying from elsewhere will just not cut it,” Van Parys remarked.
Holy Trinity has teamed up with Regina Public and Catholic school divisions to acquire furniture and equipment through a combined acquisitions process for capital projects. Both Regina divisions are already working together to build a new joint-use school and joined forces on purchasing furniture and equipment to save money.
“But is it (working with both Regina school divisions) going to be enough of a solution to work within a reduced furniture and equipment allocation? No … . So I see that that’s going to be a bit of a pressure in the ’23-24 budget in terms of making sure that school’s adequately equipped,” Van Parys said.
With that said, the opening of the new school by September 2024 will lower the average age of school infrastructure in the division to 45 years instead of the current 52 years, he added. That could also change the division’s future planned maintenance programs after the building opens.
According to Colliers, the completion date of September 2024 remains achievable. Under the memorandum of understanding with city hall, the site services work is scheduled to start this spring before anything happens with the school. However, that will be subject to funding and regulatory approvals from all partners.
The school contractor is expected to move onto the site and begin work this August.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is Monday, Feb. 14.
