Modular classrooms coming for five Halifax-area schools due to overcrowding

Five schools in the Halifax region will see their current portable classrooms replaced with modular classrooms to address the issue of overcrowding at the schools.

The province said in a press release on Tuesday that they, along with the federal government, are contributing more than $24 million to purchase what they call modular classrooms.

The cost share will see 80 per cent come from the federal government, and 20 per cent from the province.

According to the province, these classrooms differ from portables currently in use in that “they can be connected to the current school by a hallway and have washroom facilities within the structure.” This will also help manage current COVID-19 safety guidelines.

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Forty-seven modular classrooms will be purchased for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education and built at the following schools, as listed by the province:

• Park West School, Halifax: 12 classes and washroom facilities
• Basinview Drive Community School, Bedford: 12 classes and washroom facilities
• Fairview Heights Elementary, Halifax: 5 classes and washroom facilities
• Grosvenor-Wentworth Park Elementary, Halifax: 10 classes and washroom facilities
• Clayton Park Junior High, Halifax: 8 classrooms and washroom facilities

The modular classrooms and washrooms are expected to be ready to welcome students in September.

The government of Canada funding is coming from the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The government of Nova Scotia is contributing more than $4 million.