News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

February 3, 2023

Manitoba Government Encourages Public to Attend Community Consultation for New French Immersion K-8 School in Winnipeg

– – –
New School to Ensure Access to French-Language Education: Ministers

The public will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the design of a new French immersion kindergarten to Grade 8 school to serve the Sage Creek and Bonavista neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Wayne Ewasko and Consumer Protection and Government Services Minister James Teitsma announced today.

“Our government is committed to ensuring all Manitoba students have equitable access to education, including a high-quality French-language education,” said Ewasko. “Student enrolment in the French immersion program continues to increase and we are working proactively to expand and enhance school environments that are conducive for learning French. We invite the public to attend the community consultation to learn more about these plans.”

The consultation will take place at École Sage Creek School, 315 Sage Creek Blvd., on Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend to learn more about the project including design details, proposed layouts and tentative construction plans.

“Our government is pleased to continue supporting capital projects that benefit Manitoba families and help make our province more prosperous,” said Teitsma. “I am confident that this new school will meet the anticipated enrolment needs for the Sage Creek and Bonavista neighbourhoods and the surrounding area.”

The ministers noted the approximately 93,000-sq.-ft. school will include classroom spaces for 700 students, a band room, home economics and industrial arts spaces, physical fitness program spaces, and ancillary spaces. The school design will include plans for an additional eight classrooms in the future that could expand the capacity of the school to 900 students.

"I am excited for this much-needed school to be added to the area," said Christian Michalik, superintendent, Louis Riel School Division. "The new kindergarten to Grade 8 school will alleviate enrolment pressures for our French immersion students living in Sage Creek and Bonavista to attend a school in their neighbourhood or closest to their neighbourhood. We want to give families an opportunity to design the new school with us at our upcoming consultation."

As part of the Manitoba government's ongoing commitment to expand access to inclusive and affordable child care, the project includes the construction of a 74-space child-care facility that will be attached to the school, added Ewasko.

This project aligns with Manitoba’s Green Building Policy and will achieve a minimum of a LEED silver rating, using the Canada Green Building Council’s LEED Reference Guide.

For more information about the consultation, visit: https://www.lrsd.net.

- 30 -