With an investment of $12.6 million from the Provincial Government, construction of Copper Mountain Academy, a new state-of-the-art K-12 school in Baie Verte, will begin immediately. The tender for the main construction phase has been awarded to Bluebird Investments Limited of Grand Falls-Windsor.

"I am very pleased to see this project reach this significant stage of development," said the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education. "A new school has been a priority for all involved and the Department of Education has been working with our partners, including the school council, the community and the school district, to ensure it meets the needs of students, teachers and staff. This investment will result in an improved learning environment for the youth of Baie Verte and surrounding areas."

The school will serve students from the communities of Baie Verte, Woodstock, Fleur de Lys, Coachman's Cove, Seal Cove, Wild Cove, Pacquet and Ming�s Bight. It will be among the most modern and technically advanced schools in the province, featuring a library/resource centre, a family resource centre, a special education and challenging needs suite, a full-sized gymnasium with shower rooms and a fitness centre, a guidance centre, a commercial kitchen, a music room and a skilled trades suite. It is designed to accommodate approximately 350 students.

"The new school in Baie Verte will be of great value to the youth of the area and is a reflection of the many investments the Provincial Government is making in the education system," said Kevin Pollard, MHA for Baie Verte. "Students will have a building that meets the latest standards in school construction and this will no doubt have a positive impact on their school experience."

Budget 2009: Building on Our Strong Foundation has allocated an additional $31 million for repairs and maintenance, extensions and new school construction, bringing the total budget to $121.5 million. This is an increase of over $100 million since 2004, resulting in approximately 500 projects, including over 200 roofing projects and 190 building envelope projects, such as the replacement of windows and siding. In total, 470 air quality related projects have been concluded.

"The school district is very pleased that construction on the new school for the Baie Verte area is going ahead this year," said Cindy Fleet, director of education with the Nova Central School Board. "The school will serve as a great resource for students and their families and provide an excellent environment for teaching and learning."

Minister King noted that the Baie Verte project is one of several new schools now in various stages of construction throughout the province. The Provincial Government is also funding new schools in Paradise, L�Anse au Loup, Port Saunders, Placentia, Port Hope Simpson, Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Torbay. New schools to replace St. Teresa�s School in St. John�s and Davis Elementary in Carbonear are in the early stages of planning.

"This project is just one example of the tremendous amount of work that is taking place across the province to improve school infrastructure," said Minister King. "As a result, there has been a great level of progress made in government�s efforts to provide the best possible learning environments for students."

Provincial infrastructure projects totalling $1.6 billion will be tendered this fiscal year, creating an estimated 15,000 jobs (some seasonal) and providing significant economic stimulus to the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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