The health and safety of our students is paramount. That’s why the Government of Canada is partnering with the province to upgrade infrastructure at schools across Nova Scotia.

Today, Kody Blois, Member of Parliament for Kings-Hants, announced joint federal-provincial funding totalling $3.3 million for improvements to six local schools for a variety of upgrades, including window replacements, HVAC upgrades, and renovations to create new classroom spaces. 

The projects include:

- $1.1 million for heat pump & building automation system replacement at Riverside Education Centre

- $40,000 to upgrade components of the building automation system at Enfield District Elementary School

- $1.1 million to install HVAC at Port Williams Elementary School

- $275,000 to convert AHU coils at Evangeline Middle School

- $275,000 to convert AHU coils at Windsor Elementary School

- $500,000 for HVAC upgrades at Highbury Education Centre

The Government of Canada is investing over $20.5 million in these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing more than $5 million.

This joint province-wide investment will ensure that our students have quality environments to learn in, and that teachers and support staff have enhanced spaces to continue their important work of helping prepare our children for the future.

Quotes:

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of safe, reliable infrastructure in our communities. I’m pleased to see this investment because it matters to students, it matters to teachers, and it’s important infrastructure in the days ahead.”

Kody Blois, Member of Parliament for Kings-Hants

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the wellbeing of all Canadians. As we continue to battle this crisis, ensuring that students across Nova Scotia have access to safe and inclusive educational infrastructure is critical. By investing 80 cents on every dollar toward the important projects Nova Scotia schools put forward, the Government of Canada is responding to the immediate pressures and concerns of communities as a result of the pandemic. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds stronger, more resilient communities.”

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

Quick facts

• Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

• To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a COVID-19 Resilience Stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.

• Under the COVID-19 Resilience Stream, the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects is 80 per cent in the provinces, and 100 per cent in the territories and for projects intended for Indigenous communities.

• To support smaller-scale projects, the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative is providing up to $31 million in existing federal funding to help communities adapt spaces and services to respond to immediate and ongoing needs arising from COVID-19 over the next two years.

• The Government of Canada has invested over $888 million in 267 infrastructure projects across Nova Scotia under the Investing in Canada plan.

Associated links

Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html

Canada Healthy Communities Initiative
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/chci-iccs/index-eng.html

Investing in Canada: Canada’s Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Federal infrastructure investments in Nova Scotia
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ns-eng.html

NS Government Press Release 
https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20210602004