April 15, 2021
Budget 2021 Makes Record Investment of $3 Billion in K-12 Education with Significant Investments for Capital Infrastructure Projects
– – –$1.6-Billion Education Funding Guarantee to Support Student Success: Cullen
As part of Budget 2021: Protecting Manitobans, Advancing Manitoba, the Manitoba government is providing an additional $100 million for a total of over $260 million in kindergarten to Grade 12 school capital investments to advance school improvement projects and expedite the province’s commitment to build 20 news schools, Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced today.
“Our government is advancing education by improving the classroom experience for our students and educators by providing new schools on a priority basis and making substantial investments to improve existing schools,” said Cullen. “As the province moves ahead with its Better Education Starts Today strategy, placing our education system’s focus on students first, we have to ensure the environment in which they learn will help students succeed.”
The $100-million increase in education capital funding for 2021-22 allows for the continuation of these core building infrastructure improvements as well as:
• accelerating of the delivery of the 20 new school guarantee by up to five years as well as potentially constructing additional new schools beyond the 20 new school guarantee to address emerging enrolment growth;
• increasing replacements and upgrades to ventilation and electrical systems; and
• funding initiatives beyond core classroom areas such as updates to libraries, outdoor spaces, spaces for arts programming, athletic programming, vocational programming, life skills and community resources.
Specifically, the 2021-22 Capital Plan includes:
• $62 million – continuing multi-year projects;
• $77 million – medium and major new schools, additions and major renovations;
• $106.7 million – medium and minor existing infrastructure renewal projects;
- $25.9 million – mechanical;
- $21.6 million – roofing;
- $41.5 million – structural;
- $17.7 million – accessibility upgrades;
• $9.1 million – science lab upgrades across the province; and
• $5.5 million – modular classroom units to address immediate enrolment demands.
The commitment of 20 new schools will provide approximately 10,900 new classroom spaces along with 1,450 child-care spaces, at a total estimated cost of over $500 million, Cullen said. The additional funding and accelerated schedule could have the last of the 20 new schools start design in 2023-24 for completion in fall/winter 2025, up to five years ahead of the completion date of 2030, he noted.
“These critical investments will ensure that more students have the opportunity to learn and grow in high-quality learning environments close to home in the communities that they live and play in, especially in growing communities,” said Cullen.
The province has opened four of the new schools since September 2020 including:
• Ecolé Templeton School in Seven Oaks School Division – kindergarten to Grade 5 for 450 students, with 114 licensed child-care spaces including school-age spaces;
• East Elmwood Concordia in DSFM kindergarten and Grade 1 (initial enrolment) with a small child-care area as the school will be expanded to 350 students when King’s School is relocated and the division takes over the full building in 2022; the child-care area opened with 31 licensed spaces including school-age spaces;
• Waterford Springs School in Winnipeg School Division – kindergarten to Grade 8 for 600 students, with 74 child-care spaces; and
• Maryland Park School in Brandon School Division – kindergarten to Grade 8 for 450 students and 112 licensed child-care spaces.
The minister noted Budget 2021 made a record investment above $3 billion in the public school system, including up to $160 million for COVID-19 costs through the Safe Schools Fund and $5 million to advance the Better Education Starts Today strategy to improve the education system. Manitoba Education announced a 1.56 per cent operating increase for 2021-22 for public schools along with a $22.8-million Tax Offset Grant to lessen the impacts on property tax ratepayers.
The $1.6-billion funding guarantee represents a four-year funding commitment including approximately $750 million of additional operating and $910 million of capital funding. The $750 million in operating over the four years was calculated based on 2.5 per cent annual growth over the 2019-20 summary education spending. The capital funding includes an allocation for new schools construction.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
Backgrounders
New Projects - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2021/04/BG-New_Projects.pdf
Continuing Projects - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2021/04/BG-Continuing_Projects-ED.pdf