Final budget for P.E.I. Province House restoration comes in at $91.8M

The federal government announced the budget for the final phases of the restoration of Province House in Charlottetown on Wednesday.

The third and fourth phases which includereinstalling electrical and mechanical systems, interior finishes, and the design and installation of new interpretive materials for the historic site are budgeted at $30.7 million. That brings the total budget to $91.8 million.

Province House is best known for hosting the Charlottetown Conference, where discussion that would lead to Confederation began. The renovation started in January 2015, after the discovery of significant water damage inside the walls caused by problems with the roof.

"The Government of Canada is committed to preserving Canada's rich heritage and is proudly investing in the conservation of Province House," said Charlottetown MP Sean Casey in a news release.

"We can take pride in knowing that local tradespeople are being employed and area students gaining unique skills training, as part of this landmark project."

The second phase, largely focused on repairs to the exterior walls and foundation, is progressing well, the news release said. Work on the porticos the porches covering the front and back entrances was completed last month. Project managers were able to find a local sandstone suitable for refinishing the structural interior walls of the building.

The building is scheduled to reopen to the public in 2022. That's later than anticipated a year ago, when reopening was expected by the end of this year.

More P.E.I. news