Plans for French private school in Saint John abandoned due to construction costs

Plans to open an international K-12 French school in uptown Saint John in the fall of 2024 have been dropped, the Lycée International Français des Provinces Atlantiques (LIFPA) said in a news release Tuesday.

The school would have occupied the space that was previously home to the New Brunswick Museum, in Market Square.

"It was a big surprise for us, a very big surprise. We weren't expecting it," said school CEO Sylvain Olivier.

The school was slated to be part of the Don Bosco international network of French private schools — the first in Atlantic Canada — aimed at promoting bilingualism in southwestern New Brunswick.

From left, Premier Blaine Higgs, Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon, school CEO Sylvain Olivier, the consul general of France in the Atlantic provinces, Johan Schitterer, and Envision Saint John CEO Paulette Hicks were all present at a Jan. 16, 2023, photo opportunity at the announcement of the new school. (Government of New Brunswick)

Speaking in French, Olivier said the decision to abandon the multi-floor project was made on Jan. 5, after learning 15 days before construction was due to start that the costs were 50 per cent higher than originally estimated.

When the school announced its plans for Saint John last January, the plans were based on an estimate from a city architect, said Olivier. They worked with the owner to go ahead with planning and more precise renovation costs.

Olivier said the increase in construction costs would have required the school to either accept an additional 200 students, which was not possible, or decrease the investment in the building to one floor in Market Square instead of two. That also was ruled out, because there wouldn't have been enough space.

It was aiming to attract up to 900 students, with at least half coming from France and the other half from the Atlantic provinces with an annual tuition of $15,500.

The school was shy of its initial enrolment target of 150 for the first year, with 108 students enrolled from France and 30 from New Brunswick.

'Disappointing' for francophone community

Michel Côté, executive director of the Association Régionale de la Communauté francophone in Saint John, said that while he wasn't surprised due to the sheer ambition of the project, he was disappointed.

Michel Côté, executive director of Saint John’s Association Régionale de la Communauté francophone says he's disappointed because he was looking forward to having new Francophones in the region. (Association Régionale de la Communauté francophone de Saint John)

"There would have been new Francophones in the region and it's always good to have more people who can speak French around who can participate in our activities and be part of the community," Côté said.

"So it was disappointing that way."

Côté also said it would have been interesting to see how the school encouraged bilingualism particularly within the anglophone school system.

"That could have been an opportunity for them to create more bilingual people in the region," he said.

"I think it would have been great to have them around."

'Highly desirable' location, says deputy mayor

Saint John Deputy Mayor John MacKenzie echoed Côté's disappointment, but also said he sees opportunity on the horizon for the location.

Saint John Deputy Mayor John MacKenzie says that while he is disappointed about the school, he sees other opportunities for Market Square with it being a high profile area. (City of Saint John)

"We now have an area that's opened back up. It's a highly desirable area to be in," MacKenzie said.

"Prior to Don Bosco coming, we had ideas being brought from the community. Like people wanted to see a theatre there. They wanted to see a casino, possibly a high-end restaurant, and now people are talking about possibly pickleball.... It's one of those areas where it's right on the waterfront and it's not going to last long I don't think."

Premier Blaine Higgs also expressed disappointment in a French statement to Radio-Canada, saying that "we are working with interest in creating a potential partnership with this group, but we understand that private companies must make decisions based in their best interest.

"That being said, our government remains willing to work with the French Embassy, its consulate in New Brunswick and all partners to examine all projects that have the potential to be developed in the province," Higgs's statement said.

School team won't 'give up'

Olivier said families are now being informed of the decision and the goal is still to open a school in the Atlantic provinces for the start of the 2024-25 school year.

"We are people who do not want to give up. We are ready, we are equipped to be able to open the institution in September 2024. We have our educational team that is always motivated, always ready, that wants to come to the Atlantic provinces," Olivier said.

"We are actively working since January 5th towards another solution to stay open in the Atlantic provinces."