Moe says 'no delays' in Sask. budget as province, school divisions confirm projects on hold

Premier Scott Moe has said there are no "cancellations or delays" to school projects as a result of the provincial budget introduced last week.

"There are no cancellations and no delays with respect to these, school outbuild or any other piece of infrastructure outbuild in this province," Moe said after question period on Monday.

That conflicts with information provided by Education Minister Everett Hindley, who told media on Friday that projects were being delayed in order to advance them "sustainably."

"There are a several projects, and not just in education but in other ministries as well, where they won't be in advancing as quickly as initially planned," he said.

The government has since confirmed delays to two projects; CBC News later confirmed that school divisions have been told of additional projects being placed on hold.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the government said "project timelines" for renovations at Campbell Collegiate in Regina and construction of a new school in Carlyle, Sask., "have been adjusted."

The NDP Opposition has seized on the inconsistencies.

NDP education critic Matt Love said people "expect transparency and they expect honesty."

"They are not getting that from the minister of education. They're not getting that from the premier. That is incredibly disappointing, I would say shocking," Love said.

CBC News contacted Regina Public Schools and the South East Cornerstone School Division, which includes Carlyle, 190 kilometres southwest of Regina.

Both school divisions confirmed the delay in the projects.

Keith Keating, director of education for the South East Cornerstone School Division, said the division submitted a revised drawing, specifications and a cost estimate to the education ministry in February and was hoping to get approval to tender the new school by the end of this month or the middle of April.

"With the most recent announcements on the project delay, that will be on hold for the remainder of this year," Keating said, adding that he hopes they'll go to tender next fiscal year.

It's less than ideal, but the community's elementary and high schools are "manageable for the foreseeable future" even if both buildings are aging rapidly, he said.