School mould could delay improvements

Major capital improvements to a number of P.E.I. schools could be delayed as schools are spending most of their budgets repairing schools infested with mould.

In the Western School Board, for example, the province provides $300,000 a year for capital improvements. The board is now preparing to reopen Elm Street School in Summerside, which closed in October due to air quality problems caused by mould. Cost of repairs to the building were $250,000.

Superintendent Dale Sabean told CBC News last week that will necessarily mean other projects won't get done.

"Could be window replacement, could be adding a ventilation system to a school, could be replacing a gymnasium floor, could be a roof," said Sabean.

The situation is at least as bad in the Eastern School District, where three schools require extensive remediation because of mould. Last year much of the budget was used to build additional classrooms to accommodate kindergarten in Charlottetown Schools.

Data from Statistics Canada compiled show from 1996 to 2009 P.E.I. spent far less than the national average building and renovating its schools: $326 per student per year compared to a national average of $564. The only province to spend less was Newfoundland and Labrador.

Paying the price

Owen Parkhouse, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, said the province is paying the price for its below standard maintenance record.

"Buildings should last longer than they're lasting right now," said Parkhouse.

"I don't think at the end of the year if you're tight on budget that maintenance can go by the wayside."

Sandy MacDonald, deputy minister of education, told CBC News it's true Island schools haven't always been properly maintained.

There is no new maintenance money on the table as province conducts tests for air quality and mould in schools across the province. The department is planning on more regular inspections, and focusing capital spending on maintaining sound, watertight buildings, hopefully preventing future problems with air quality.