With construction well underway, price tag of new Stratford high school has jumped

The new high school being built in Stratford, P.E.I., is going to cost more than expected.

When construction began last year, the provincial government estimated the project would cost $79 million. On Friday, an official said it now anticipates the school will cost a total of $90 million — including furnishing, equipment and design costs — partly due to supply chain issues and increasing construction and labour costs.

"We would say that every year since probably 2018, 2019, the costs have just gone up. Construction costs are up," says Tyler Richardson, the project manager.

Back in 2021, the province had estimated the school would cost $51.5 million. Then the pricetag was revised to $79 million. 

Construction has gone very well, Richardson said, and now everything is being done to get the school completed as quickly as possible to open on time in 2027.

The pricetag to build and equip Stratford's high school has hit $90.6M. Here's why.

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Duration 2:07

As work on the new Stratford high school continues, the project manager says the cost has now risen an extra $11 million. CBC's Taylor O'Brien visited the construction site to find out what's been built and what still remains to be done.

"The roof is probably going to be about 90 per cent complete in the next two weeks… We will get into some temporary heat soon once the weather drops and then we'll be doing a lot of work over the winter," he said.  

Richardson says the cost per square foot on school construction has risen over the last few years. Increased construction costs account for $2 million of the increase, he said. 

The high school is part of the booming town's new community campus, that will also include a junior high school and wellness centre.   

The school will hold about 750 students in grades 10 through 12 and will feature three athletic fields, a two-storey library and a cafe. Along with the traditional academic streams, it will offer trades programs, including robotics and welding.

"It's going to be not just a learning facility but an amenity for the entire community," said Education Minister Rob Lantz.  

"It's a place that I think the community can be proud of, and students are going to get a first-class education there."