The federal government has announced it will fund an additional $30.7 million for the final phase of the reconstruction of Province House, bringing the total cost of the project to $91.8 million.
The funding will be used to complete the final two phases of the reconstruction and conservation of P.E.I.’s legislature. The funding was announced by Charlottetown member of Parliament Sean Casey on Wednesday on behalf of Parks Canada.
“As the birthplace of Canada and the seat of Prince Edward Island's provincial legislature, the investment in this significant project is protecting a national treasure, while directly supporting local people and P.E.I.’s economy,” Casey said in a media statement.
When renovations of the building began in 2017, the total budget for the project was estimated to be around $47 million, with completion originally expected in March of this year.
The new funding will be used to complete the final two phases of the reconstruction. The third phase will involve reinstalling the building’s electrical and mechanical systems, interior finishes including painting and flooring, ensuring fire code compliance and upgrading accessibility features within the building. The fourth and final phase will involve the development and installation of new interpretive materials.
Work on Phase 2 of the project began in May of 2018, with a focus on conservation of the exterior walls, as well as work on the foundation, porticos, floors, roof and structural interior walls. Work on the porticos, which cover the entrances on both sides of the building, was completed in January 2020. Local sandstone was used for the structural inner walls, and students from the Holland College retrofit heritage carpentry project took part in conservation of two of the original windows from the site.
Province House was built in 1847 and is operated by Parks Canada.
