The government has decided: the Clair-Soleil primary school in Lévis, which was closed following accidents linked to its structure in recent months, will be demolished and then rebuilt.
The Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, made the announcement Tuesday in a press release. He claims to have made this decision in light of the devastating report produced by the firm WSP, mandated to assess the condition of the building.
“Assessment of the structure demonstrated major issues and safety risks. […] Given the extent of the rehabilitation costs, the firm nevertheless recommends considering replacing the building,” the ministry specifies in writing.
In the last year, two incidents occurred during renovation work on the exterior of the school in the Saint-Nicolas sector.
Last May, a concrete block from the interior wall fell near students, while work was underway on the cladding of the establishment. In September, an angle iron went through the ceiling of a fifth-grade class during the same project. Fortunately, no one was injured in either event.
The situation forced the closure of the school and the transfer of hundreds of students.
The Ministry of Education also indicated Tuesday that modular premises comprising 23 classes will be set up on the grounds of the Envol school to accommodate Clair-Soleil students and staff until its planned reopening at the start of the school year. 2028.
“Most Reliable” Solution
Minister Drainville maintains that the Quebec government opted for the “most reliable” solution by advocating demolition and reconstruction.
According to the engineering consulting firm, it would have been necessary to completely rebuild the school’s concrete block walls, since they do not have reinforcements and therefore do not comply with the building code.
The option to upgrade the block walls could have ranged between $14 million and $16 million, according to WSP.
In interview with The Journal In recent weeks, the general director of the Navigateurs School Service Center, Suzie Lucas, had raised the risk of “finding something else”, which could have increased the bill.
In return, the cost of demolishing and rebuilding the school is estimated between $17 million and $23 million.
More details will follow.
