School Site Development

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Table of contents

1.0 Purpose

1.1 This directive states the policy of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) on the funding of school site development on reserves. The related levels of service standard (Appendix A), determined on a national basis, are the levels of service that DIAND is prepared to financially support to assist First Nations in providing community services comparable to the levels of service that would generally be available in non-native communities of similar size and circumstances.

1.2 This document supersedes DRM 10-7/32 Planning and Site Development, and PD 6.3 Level of Service Standards - School Site Development.

2.0 Scope

2.1 This directive is applicable to DIAND staff involved in providing funding for school site development on reserves, normally in conjunction with school construction, expansion or renovation projects.

3.0 Authorities and References

3.1 Treasury Board Specific Authority considered through the 1990-91 Fall Multi- Year Operational Plan Review - Long Term Capital Plan and attached Memorandum of Understanding and Annexes.

3.2 Indian Act, Section 18(2), 19(a), 114(2).

3.3 DIAND Program Directive 6.15 School Space Accommodation Standards.

4.0 Issuing Authority

4.1 This directive is issued under the authority of the Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Programming and Program Re-Design.

5.0 Definitions

5.1 School Site Development: - Includes site selection, site planning, site analysis, layout, construction, and environmental protection and remediation of a school site on reserve, to provide a school site which, in conjunction with the school building(s), supports the First Nation's education program objectives.

5.2 Community Physical Development Plan: - The First Nation's approved long range physical development plan for the layout, use and disposition of reserve community land, buildings and infrastructure, to meet long term community objectives. The community physical development plan provides a proposed land-use context for site selection and site development, and guides the community's 5-year capital plan, which determines the funding schedule for physical projects such as a proposed school project and its related school site development.

5.3 School Project: - Planning, design and construction, expansion or renovation of a school on reserve, including school building(s), site development, and associated water, sewer, road infrastructure, and fire protection.

6.0 Policy

6.1 Subject to the availability of funds and departmental priorities, DIAND provides funding assistance through the capital and operation and maintenance programs to First Nations for on-reserve school site development.

6.2 Regions will implement this directive within regional resource levels.

6.3 School site development is managed by First Nations in the context of their school construction and maintenance requirements.

6.4 DIAND will fund school site development according to the levels of service as outlined in Appendix A.

6.5 DIAND funding to a First Nation's school site development will be provided, normally as an integral part of a school construction, addition or renovation project. The funding is based on: adequate site analysis; environmental assessment; life-cycle cost considerations to determine the site location, site size, its overall layout and terrain development; circulation aspects; environmental protection features; and sports fields, playgrounds and landscaping which support the school's education program requirements.

6.6 DIAND funding for school site development will be subject to the school project and related site development being in accordance with the First Nation's approved community physical development plan, and upon land formally set aside for education purposes in a band council resolution (BCR).

6.7 DIAND will maintain a national inventory of school assets on reserves, which are funded to include school site development and site maintenance. DIAND reserves the right to monitor assets which it supports financially, in accordance with DIAND's funding policy and environmental guidelines.

6.8 DIAND will assist First Nations, on request, to obtain necessary information for the planning, design and implementation of school site development and site maintenance on reserves.

7.0 Responsibilities

The DIAND Regional Director General or delegated representative will ensure that school site development on reserve, and the related school projects and funding agreements, comply with this directive.

8.0 Enquiries

8.1 Matters related to the interpretation of this directive are to be referred to the Director, Community Development Directorate, at DIAND Headquarters.

8.2 Matters specifically related to the technical aspects of Appendix A may be directed to the Director General, Public Works and Government Services, Real Property Services for INAC, located at DIAND Headquarters.

8.3 Requests for additional copies should be addressed to the Corporate Information Management Directorate at Headquarters.

9.0 Appendix A - Levels of Service Standard: School Site Development

1.0 Purpose

1.1 The levels of service standard, determined on a national basis, are the levels of service that the Department of Indian Affairs and Nothern Development (DIAND) is prepared to financially support to assist First Nations in providing community services comparable to the levels of service that would generally be available in non-native communities of similar size and circumstances.

1.2 The levels of service standard provide a description of criteria which will be used to establish the level of funding.

2.0 Levels of Service Standard

2.1 Subject to the availability of funds and departmental priorities, DIAND will contribute funding to a First Nation's school site development, normally but not necessarily as an integral part of a school construction, addition or renovation project. The funding is based on: adequate site analysis; environmental assessment; life-cycle cost considerations to determine the site location, site size, its overall layout and terrain development; circulation aspects; environmental protection features; and sports fields, playgrounds and landscaping which support the school's education program requirements.

2.2 Subject to the availability of sufficient suitable land, and in view of the considerations in 2.1 above, the school site development will provide a level of service that will:

  1. provide a site of at least 2 hectares (5 acres) for Grade K to 6 "elementary" schools, ranging up to 6 hectares (15 acres) for Grade K to 12 "comprehensive" schools, calculated in accordance with the financial and technical criteria listed in section 5.5 below; and,
  2. meet at least 35-year site needs corresponding to a projected 35-year life cycle of the school building, taking into account the possibility of future school expansion to accommodate future increases in student enrollment or the addition of more school grades, which may extend requirements for the school site's life cycle to 50 years or more.

3.0 General Criteria

3.1 There is no implied restriction on any additional school site development which may be preferred and funded by First Nations beyond the DIAND-funded level of service.

3.2 Where applicable, DIAND or the provincial/territorial education authority will be requested to review drawings and specifications for school site development plans on reserve, to check for conformance with relevant site development guidelines.

3.3 An environmental assessment of the proposed school project, and its related site development, including adequate mitigation measures and monitoring (before, during and after construction), is required in accordance with DIAND environmental guidelines based on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), and compliance with all other relevant federal/provincial/territorial environmental statutes, such as the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), Fisheries Act, etc., as applicable. DIAND encourages the concept of sustainable development, and promotes practices consistent with the 1996 federal initiative entitled, "Greening of Government Operations Policy".

3.4 Cost effectiveness and quality of school site development planning, design and implementation should comply with the financial and technical criteria outlined in this document.

4.0 Financial and Technical Criteria

4.1 The most cost-effective means of school site development should be determined in the school project's feasibility study, through comprehensive site analysis and life cycle cost analysis of all (at least three) viable site alternatives, where DIAND funding is provided in support of a school project and its associated site development.

4.2 DIAND capital funding and relevant O&M funding for school site development will be subject to the applicable Funding Arrangement terms and conditions, in accordance with DIAND funding policies.

4.3 Net Funding Requirement (NFR) for ongoing DIAND O&M funding for school site maintenance is included in the O&M funding of the school building.

4.4 DIAND capital funding for site development will be provided up to 10% of the school building's construction costs, as required, to provide for preliminary site preparation and finish site development, plus certain justifiable extras, as follows:

  1. the full cost of preliminary site preparation up to 6% of the school building construction costs; and,
  2. the cost of finish site development up to 4% of the school building construction costs (3% for larger schools exceeding 24 classrooms), plus, if required, any remaining unused portion of the 6% identified for preliminary site preparation;
  3. plus, certain justifiable extras for difficult soil and terrain conditions, and/or environmental protection/mitigation requirements, or for unusual student safety requirements.

4.5 For new schools, with school grades within the following K-6, K-9, K-12 categories, comprising the indicated number of students calculated on a full-time attendance basis as per the School Space Accommodation Standards, the developed site size recommended, subject to availability of sufficient suitable land, is as follows:

  1. Two (2) hectares (5 acres) recommended for an elementary K-6 (from kindergarten up to grade 6) school of up to 100 students, plus 0.4 hectares for each additional 100 students; or,
  2. Four (4) hectares (10 acres) recommended for an elementary / junior K-9 (from kindergarten up to grade 9) school of up to 100 students, plus 0.4 hectares for each additional 100 students; or,
  3. Six (6) hectares (15 acres) recommended for a comprehensive K-12 (from kindergarten up to grade 12) school of up to 200 students, plus 0.4 hectares for each additional 100 students.

4.6 For school additions, the developed site size recommended for the total expanded school facility, subject to availability of sufficient suitable land, should provide a finished site size which will provide an appropriate, reasonable area for the expanded or renovated site, suitable to accommodate the expanded school program requirements, not exceeding the site size for new schools stated in 4.5 above.

4.7 For combined use site(s), the total developed site size recommended for the sum of all area(s) utilized for school-related site functions should provide a finished site size which will combine the school's site functions with other compatible community uses, either on one site or partly on adjacent site(s), in order to avoid duplication, enhance cost efficiencies and the functionality of the site(s), and minimize environmental impacts. The total site area for school-related use of any such combined site(s) should not exceed the site size for new schools stated in 4.5 above.

4.8 Wherever feasible, a reserve should normally have only one school site, large enough to adequately serve the school building(s) contained on the site, including if necessary adequate separation of elementary and secondary schools, without imposing any limitations on the school's current and future program requirements. The site for teachers' accommodation should normally be a residential site separate from the school site. Therefore it should not be included in any of the school site size criteria in 4.5 or 4.6 above.

4.9 Site planning should include a thorough site analysis, with environmental assessment, of all (at least three) potential school sites; a life cycle cost-benefit rationale for the selected site; and detailed site development plans.

4.10 Construction and upkeep of the school site should meet applicable provincial/ territorial technical guidelines and standards for school site development.

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