The Yukon Party is looking for answers for an apparent steep increase in the cost of the new Whistle Bend Elementary School, which hasn’t broken ground yet.

The price tag for the school is now up to $52.8 million – from an original projection of $32 million in 2019.

Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent questioned the government on the huge increase without much success during question period Monday.

“On Nov. 21, 2019, the former minister of Highways and Public Works (Richard Mostyn) stated in the legislative assembly that the budget for the new Whistle Bend school was $32 million,” he recalled.

“In July 2021, the school had gone significantly over-budget and was now estimated to cost $43 million. So, in less than two years, the budget of this project had skyrocketed.

“However, the official Opposition has now obtained the confidential briefing note that indicates the school has gone over budget once again,” Kent added.

“The briefing note states — and I quote: ‘The total capital requirement for the project is $52.8 million.’ Can the minister tell us why the project is almost $21-million over budget?”

Highways and Public Works Minister Nils Clarke handled the question – and provided a somewhat confusing timeline and rationale for the sky-rocketing increase.

“The design/build contract was awarded to Ketza Construction Corporation for $42.8 million,” he noted.

“This cost reflects increased costs for building materials like lumber and steel as a consequence of the unjust, unlawful, and barbaric invasion by Russia into Ukraine.

“The design/build contract was a value-driven procurement,” the minister added.

“Value-driven procurements look beyond the price to make sure that the project brings as much value as possible to the community and the territory.

“In this case, the winning bidder earned points for their schedule, training plans, subcontracting plans, northern experience, and First Nation participation.”

The project is on budget and on time, he added.

“This school will be state-of-the-art,” Clarke continued. “It will have lots of environmental attributes that will make it incredibly energy-efficient.

“We will reduce greenhouse gases by having the students who currently reside in the dynamic and growing neighbourhood of Whistle Bend being able to, hopefully, largely walk to school, bike to school, kick-sled to school, or however they wish to get to school not involving a motor vehicle.”

Kent was quick to point out the briefing note he was referring to is dated to November 2021.

“We find it interesting that the minister is blaming the war in Ukraine for this project going over-budget, because the confidential briefing note that we have obtained indicating the $21-million cost overruns is actually dated Nov. 22, 2021, three months before the war started.

He also questioned Clarke as to whether the new First Nation Procurement policy is having any effect.

“While we appreciate that overview from the minister, the question was about the budget for the school. There was absolutely no answer to the question that I asked, so I will ask again,” Kent pointed out.

The project is 65-per-cent over-budget in two years “due to Liberal mismanagement,” he said. “Can the minister tell us how much of these cost overruns are due to the First Nation procurement policy?”

Kent also questioned why the school will only be completed sometime during the 2023-24 school year – nearly a year later than scheduled.

“As I stated probably two weeks ago, I’m not going to take lessons from the former Yukon Party government on how to build schools, when to build schools, or how to build schools on time,” Clarke shot back.

“I would not take lessons from the members opposite on how to build small schools, or small schools that are too small to replace the (former) F.H. Collins structure.

“We know that the member opposite — the hard-working member for Copperbelt South — was integral in the planning and ultimately the implementation of the plan — the delayed plan — to build the middle school that is now the new F.H. Collins that will require serious consideration for expansion in the near future as, when it was built, it was at maximum capacity instantly,” Clarke noted of the Yukon Party government project.

“So, interesting concerns from members opposite — but, as I said, I’m not taking lessons from the prior Yukon Party government on how and when to build schools.”

Kent spoke to reporters afterward, expressing his frustration with the situation.

He said it’s impossible to determine the root causes of the over-run with the lack of information the government is providing.