The government will complete a land exchange with the Town of Salisbury to build a new kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school near the current Salisbury Elementary School.
"This is an exciting milestone for Salisbury students, families and staff," said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson. "The current school has served the community for nearly eight decades. Through this project, students will benefit from a modern, accessible learning environment designed to meet their needs today and into the future."
The existing school is 78 years old. The new project has a total budget of $52.7 million.
The town worked with the provincial government to facilitate a land exchange, allowing the school to be built on a preferred site while preserving the community baseball and softball fields as municipal infrastructure.
"The municipality appreciates the collaborative approach taken by the province throughout this process," said Salisbury Mayor Robert Campbell. "By working together, we have found a solution that supports students, families and the broader community while protecting a valued recreational asset."
The project is now in the design phase, with $2.93 million committed in 2026-27 for planning and design work.
The new school will accommodate 450 students, including those in Grade 5 who now attend Salisbury Regional School. The facility will be about 45 per cent larger than the existing elementary school and will include dedicated spaces for music, performing arts and student support services, as well as a large multi-function room designed to support educational and community activities.
"This project will provide students and staff with learning spaces that reflect the needs of modern education," said Randolph MacLean, superintendent of Anglophone East School District. "We look forward to working with our partners as the design phase progresses."
According to projections from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the district and local planning partners, student enrolment is expected to remain between 375 and 414 students over the next five years, which is within the new facility's capacity.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027-28, with the new school expected to open by September 2030.
