Évangéline-Miscouche MLA Gilles Arsenault, right, and Summerside-Wilmot MLA Tyler DesRoches, left, chat before a session of the legislature at Province House. Arsenault has raised questions about the delayed completion date for École Évangéline in Abram-Village. Photo by Stu Neatby /The Guardian

P.E.I.’s education minister says the anticipated completion date for a replacement of École Évangéline, a French-language K-12 school in Abram-Village, could be pushed back as late as winter 2029.

Robin Croucher made the statement during question period on Nov. 12 in response to questions from his former cabinet colleague, Gilles Arsenault. Arsenault’s district includes the location of the Évangéline school.

Arsenault, who currently sits as an independent MLA, said his constituents are worried about the progress of construction on the new school. He noted the PC government has previously said the completion date for the new school was 2028.

“Can the minister provide an update on timelines on this project as I’m extremely concerned that it won’t be closed in for the winter months, which it’s supposed to be, and in turn could cause major delays and extra costs,” Arsenault said.

“We may not get that grand opening in 2028,” Croucher told the legislature.

“We were slated for completion in September of 2028. I know it has been pushed back to possibly December of 2028, but it could be as late as March 2029.”

Croucher added that construction on the project is not proceeding as quickly “as we would like.”

Education Minister Robin Croucher confirmed the opening date for the new École Évangéline could be pushed back as late as winter 2029. Photo by Stu Neatby /The Guardian

Arsenault noted that only 12-15 people are currently working on the Évangéline project. He said the number of contractors should be as many as 30-40.

“Can the minister also assure this House that every effort is being made to keep their project a priority? And how are you doing that, so that the major infrastructure projects like this one can stay on time and on budget?”

Croucher said the project remains a priority for government, but said he could not offer details about the number of workers on-site.

“What I can say is that, we’re a few months out from what our initial date was. We’re approximately ten per cent under budget right now, which we’re quite happy with,” Croucher said.

The existing École Évangéline suffered significant damage during 2022’s post-Tropical Storm Fiona.

Capital cost overruns

The PC government has faced criticism from the auditor general for cost overruns on capital projects.

Finance Minister Jill Burridge said the École Évangéline project differs from other school construction in that it will also have community spaces. This is due to a federal partnership, she said.

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However, the uniqueness of the project means that past designs of schools the province has already completed, such as Sherwood Elementary, cannot be replicated.

“You won’t see private industry really build a school much, so it really is public infrastructure built by government. But competitive bidding is used, tender processes – everything is being done to keep those costs down,” Burridge said.

Finance Minister Jill Burridge noted the construction of the École Évangéline in Abram-Village is unique as the design of the school is unlike others that are currently under construction across the province. Photo by Stu Neatby /The Guardian

Arsenault back from leave

The questions raised by Arsenault are some of the first brought forward by the independent MLA in the current fall sitting.

Arsenault was a cabinet minister in the Rob Lantz government and last served as minister of economic development, trade and artificial intelligence prior to March 2026.

He was removed from cabinet and from the PC caucus after details were made public about a $100,000 donation made by a developer to a community organization in his district.

An investigative legal memo, penned by lawyer Murray Murphy, suggested the donation could be linked to an approval for development on wetland areas. Arsenault had been a minister of environment at the time.

An RCMP investigation into the matter is ongoing, but no findings have been made public.

Arsenault took a leave of absence from his role in the legislature last May, in the midst of a sitting in which Opposition members regularly brought up his removal. This leave of absence ended at the end of the spring sitting.

Stu Neatby is a political reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at and followed on X @stu_neatby.