Saskatchewan Joint Use School Projects 1 and 2
Location: Regina, Saskatoon, Martensville, Warman – Saskatchewan
Status: Operational
Value of Partnership: $562.1 million (Total project cost)
Type of P3: DBFM
Provincial/Federal/Municipal: Provincial
Financial Close: August 20, 2015
Substantial Completion: September 2017
Handback: 2047
The Saskatchewan Joint Use School Projects I and II delivered nine new schools across Regina, Saskatoon, Martensville and Warman to address rapid population growth and relieve pressure on existing education facilities. Together, the projects represent the largest new school construction program in the province’s history and one of Canada’s most significant bundled social-infrastructure initiatives.
The schools accommodate a combined design capacity of 11,100 students from pre-kindergarten to Grade 8. Each site includes a 90-space childcare centre, providing 810 new childcare spaces across the program.
Community resource areas are essential component of every school, supporting broader programming and shared access to facilities. A joint-use model places a public school and a Catholic school within a single building connected by shared common spaces, including a multi-purpose room and community hub. This arrangement allows both divisions to operate independently while benefiting from combined amenities and opportunities for collaboration. Permanent core buildings follow provincial standards, with the ability to add or remove relocatable classrooms to meet peak enrolment demands.
Design work focused on creating modern learning environments suited to high-growth communities. Classrooms, learning commons and specialized instructional areas are organized to support a variety of teaching approaches, from group collaboration to individualized learning.
All schools targeted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification, reflecting energy-efficient systems, durable materials and long-term performance considerations.
The bundled approach enabled Saskatchewan to advance multiple schools simultaneously, allowing for consistency in design, construction methods and quality. By delivering schools under coordinated projects, Saskatchewan expanded education capacity at a scale that would have been difficult to achieve through sequential construction.
The construction and operation stages require broad participation from local trades and suppliers, generating significant economic activity in both major urban centres.
Partners:
Public: Government of Saskatchewan (SaskBuilds, Saskatchewan Ministry of Education)
Private: Joint Use Mutual Partnership (Concert Infrastructure Ltd, Bird Capital Limited, Bird Construction, Wright Construction Western, GEC Architecture, Kindrachuck Agrey Architecture, Johnson Controls Inc.)
Awards: National Awards for Innovation & Excellence in P3s' Silver Award in Innovative Partnerships, 2015
