The site of the former Rivier Academy is being considered for a planned francophone school in P.A. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Future of French Education

Former Rivier Academy still on the table as potential new francophone school

Jun 11, 2020 | 5:42 PM

The French-Canadian Society of Prince Albert (SCFPA) is welcoming news the province is still considering the former Rivier Academy building as the site for a new francophone school.

At a Thursday press conference in Regina, Education Minister Gordon Wyant told reporters the government remained committed to opening three new francophone schools in Saskatchewan by 2023, including one in Prince Albert. He further stated the government was still considering using the former Rivier Academy building.

“Just this last week we’ve commissioned a third party to put together an independent business plan to see whether or not locating a school in that particular facility makes sense from a financial perspective,” Wyant said.

SCFPA spokesperson Estelle Hjertaas said the organization is glad to have an update from the minister.

In March, SCFPA raised concerns that the new francophone school was not in the 2020 preliminary provincial budget.

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The organization has been advocating for a new school for a number of years. Hjertaas said the current École Valois is not big enough to meet the needs of the francophone community.

She’s hopeful if the government chooses to move ahead with using the Rivier Academy building, the new school could be open by 2021.

“More and more people are seeing the value of having their kids go to a French school,” she said. “But also we have a lot of new Canadians that are French-speaking and our community is growing all the time.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom