Archived News Releases

Province Announces New School in North Winnipeg, Further Investments to Make Classes Smaller

The Manitoba government will build a new, dual-track kindergarten to Grade 8 school in the north Winnipeg Waterford Green development, and is providing an additional $3 million to hire more than 50 more teachers to support smaller class sizes, Premier Greg Selinger announced today.

“This new school in the Winnipeg School Division and the funding to hire more teachers is part of our commitment to making classes smaller and investing in our children,” said Premier Selinger.  “We’re making investments in new schools, new classrooms and more teachers so that students throughout the province get more one-on-one time to learn the essential skills they need to be successful.”

The new, approximately 60,000-sq.-ft. school in Waterford Green in the Winnipeg School Division will include a child-care centre and capacity for at least 500 kindergarten to Grade 8 students.  Design work on the project is expected to begin shortly with an estimated opening date of fall 2018, the premier said.

“Winnipeg is growing and our division is growing with it,” said Sherri Rollins, vice-chair, board of trustees, Winnipeg School Division.  “We’re very excited about building a brand new school for the many families who are continuing to move into this newly developed area.”

The additional support to hire more teachers for smaller classes brings provincial investment to $16 million annually, the premier said.  To date, provincial support for smaller classes have enabled the hiring of 382 teachers with at least 50 more teachers expected to be supported with the new funding.  This year, 92.5 per cent of kindergarten to Grade 3 classes have 23 or fewer students, while 67.6 per cent of kindergarten to Grade 3 classes have 20 or fewer.  Only 7.5 per cent of kindergarten to Grade 3 classes have more than 24 students.  The number of classes with 20 or more students has decreased by 64 per cent, or 403 classes, since 2011, Premier Selinger noted.

The premier also announced four new major school additions that will create 14 new classrooms.  Design work will being on École Guyot in the Louis Riel School Division, École Crescentview School in Portage la Prairie, Dr. FWL Hamilton School in the River East Transcona School Division and Gillis School in the Sunrise School Division in the coming months.

The premier noted the province has provided more than $27.5 million in capital support for 27 schools to create 62 new and renovated classrooms throughout the province.  The province has also opened new kindergarten to Grade 8 schools in Amber Trails and Shanzenfeld that will help support smaller classes, with three new schools in design or under construction in Sage Creek, Southpointe, Riviere Rouge and Brandon.

“We know that investing in our schools is important so that parents can be confident their children are getting the best education possible,” said Education and Advanced Learning Minister James Allum.  “We will continue to listen to parents and make important investments in smaller class sizes to benefit children across the province.”