The announcement that construction of the new school will go ahead was made Aug. 5 in a joint announcement by Marc Miller, minister of Indigenous Services, alongside Moosomin FN Chief Bradley Swiftwolfe. The announcement was streamed on Moosomin FN’s Facebook page.
The feds confirmed they are investing $38 million in the project through its Indigenous Community Infrastructure Fund. The fund provides $699.7 million over a four-year period supporting upwards of 50 shovel-ready school projects in First Nation communities.
The new facility will be located northeast of the existing school which was built in 1974. Construction is to begin this fall, and is expected to be completed by fall of 2023.
According to both Miller and Swiftwolfe, this project is has been in the works for a long time.
“We fought for very long for a new school and I am glad to stand beside you today and confirm that we will be supporting this building of this new school,” said Miller at the announcement.
“I know it’s been far too long, it’s been way too long, and this is about the future today, about how we move forward, hand in hand respecting the rights to self determination. And I think what better way to do it than the promise of a new school, which will be built here by you, for you and for the future.”
“It’s always been a priority for a new school,“ said Chief Swiftwolfe, who noted previous chiefs had pushed for the school as well.
“We’re really happy that our kids will be able to go to school in a state-of-the-art facility.”
According to the news release, the school will address overcrowding and eliminate the need for portable classrooms, and be large enough to accommodate future growth. The facility will include a larger gym, a cultural learning resource centre, a library and media centre, science, computer science and industrial arts labs, as well as a nurse’s office and health room.
