CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A private company is helping the provincial government with the creation of a registry of students who went to Summerside’s high school while renovations were underway, says Transportation Minister Steven Myers.
During Wednesday’s question period, Myers provided more information on the registry for students from Three Oaks Senior High (TOSH).
Myers said HRA Atlantic will be working on the registry, which is who his department thought was best for the job.
“What we did is we felt that the best approach would be to get somebody independent because clearly that’s what we were being told by the parents and that’s clearly what we’ve been told by the opposition,” he said.
Last year the provincial government announced it would add students to a registry if they attended the school during renovations between 2016 and 2019.
During the construction, some students and their parents raised concerns about potential air quality problems and exposure to asbestos.
Students were still in the school while the renovations were underway and some complained of health problems.
Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke MLA Trish Altass raised the issue, saying she learned in February someone in the private sector was given a contract to complete the registry.
Altass asked what information the registry will contain, where it will be housed and for how long.
“Other than a commitment to from this government to create a registry, we still know very little about it, she said.
Myers said COVID-19 disrupted work on the registry and staff in his department only recently got back to work on it.
A lot of those decisions about the registry haven’t been made yet, Myers said.
“We want to be meticulous that we’re doing this in the best possible manner and that we’re not leaving any stone unturned and we’re doing our very best to make sure that we give the people in Summerside who want this what they want.”