(Image Credit: File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

School replacements, upgrades

NESD outlines major, minor capital project wish list

Feb 4, 2026 | 4:20 PM

The North East School Division (NESD) is continuing to lobby the provincial government for major capital projects. 

The Board of Education has approved the submission of three projects to the Ministry of Education’s Infrastructure Branch for major capital project funding for 2026-27. 

Director of Education Stacy Lair told northeastNOW the Ministry of Education requests each division submit three projects each year for consideration. 

This year’s list is the same as last year’s for NESD. 

In order of priority, the list includes a new replacement elementary school in Melfort that would consolidate Reynolds and Brunswick schools, the modernization and renovation of Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate (MUCC), and the modernization and renovation of L.P. Miller Comprehensive School in Nipawin. 

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Lair explained why they chose to put new elementary schools at the top of the list. 

“Those two [Reynolds and Brunswick] are some of our oldest buildings, and we recognize that in the near future, we’d like to have a replacement build for those two buildings,” she said. 

That replacement elementary school had been on the provincial Top 10 Major Capital Project listing in 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25, but was not on that list last year. 

“We’re optimistic that because we’ve shown some evidence and our assessment of the need, that it will make it to the list again, if not this year, hopefully shortly.” 

Lair said the high schools in Melfort and Nipawin are aging and have not been significantly updated. The province has been moving through the comprehensive schools across Saskatchewan and updating them in recent years, Lair said. 

“They’re on the major capital list just because it’s a significant expense,” Lair explained. “It’s not a minor request that we can take care of with preventative maintenance dollars; it’s a capital investment that would be needed.” 

Meanwhile, the NESD board also passed a motion to approve upgrades and renovations to Tisdale Middle and Secondary School (TMSS) and Wagner School in Nipawin, as part of their 2026-27 Minor Capital Renewal Program application. Each division can submit up to two applications, and the cost of each project can be no more than $10 million. 

Lair expects the news of what projects, if any, are approved to come during the provincial budget reveal in March. 

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com