New high school site unveiled in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, where Premier Andrew Furey lives
The school is needed for growing the community, said Furey
Premier Andrew Furey revealed Friday the planned site for a new high school in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's — where the premier lives — set to open in the fall of 2026.
The school, which was announced in the 2022 provincial budget, was low on the priority list of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District, which said at the time it was surprised to see $33 million allocated for the school's construction.
Furey said Friday the town wasn't given priority because it's where he lives.
The new school will be built on Old Broad Cove Road at the corner of Maggie's Place, which will complete the education system in the town — which already has primary and junior high schools — and keep students from having to bus to St. John's to attend high school.
"Building a new high school is a proactive example of how we can ensure that the infrastructure is meeting the modern and growing demands of changing communities like Portugal Cove-St. Philip's," Furey said Friday.
Asked why he pushed the school forward despite its lower priority for the district — and the optics of it being in the town where he lives — Furey said the government would make similar investments in other communities.
"More than just me live in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's. The premier has to live somewhere in the province, so there has to be continued investments made wherever he or she, that person, lives," he said.
"This is a growing community, one that's been argued to have a high school for quite some time. It's across political stripes. We make investments in all other areas of the province as well."
Furey didn't answer when asked if his children would attend the school.
Portugal Cove-St. Philip's Mayor Carol McDonald, who has spent the last 10 years calling for a new high school in the town of 8,400 people, said Friday's announcement was an exciting day. Her town is one of Newfoundland and Labrador's fastest-growing communities, she said.
"To say I am pleased today would be an understatement, because really I'm excited," she said. "I have to thank Premier Furey for finally listening, and realizing our concerns were valid."
McDonald said all current and future students of Beachy Cove Elementary and Brookside Intermediate will attend the school.
Priorities aren't in order, says NDP
David Brazil, interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and MHA of the district that includes Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, had also been advocating for the school.
Furey thanked him for his dedication in helping the project reach the finish line.
"Investing in infrastructure of education is a benefit to everybody," Brazil said. "The quality of education and not having to worry about busing in and out of St. John's will be a benefit to the students here."
Brazil acknowledged there are other communities in need of new schools — and hopes the government will address that in time — but said a new school in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's was needed to complete the K-12 education system in the community.
However, NDP Leader Jim Dinn says the government's priorities aren't in the right place.
Dinn, a former teacher, said the province needs to address other issues plaguing the education system — like a shortage of teachers, the need to review teacher allocations and ventilation issues in schools.
"A shiny new school is great for ribbon cutting, but there's no attempt to do the hard work to address the other priorities that are really causing significant issues in the education system," Dinn said.
"We have a school here that wasn't even requested or deemed a priority by the school district, which all of a sudden became a priority. That's my issue, as to is politics now entering into what schools get announced and which ones don't? I have a serious issue when you start mixing, affecting education in that way."
With files from Heather Gillis