Education Minister Patrick Rouble and consultants tasked with completing a study on the future of schools in Whitehorse can't seem to agree whether a final report has been submitted to the government.

Rouble has repeatedly insisted the document received from Victoria-based Hold Fast Consultants is just a draft.

But Bruce McAskill, president of Hold Fast, says the report is done.

'I consider it a final report,' McAskill told the Star.

The document, entitled School Facilities Study: Final Report, was submitted to the Department of Education on May 23 ahead of its May 31 deadline.

The sole-sourced contract was awarded in September 2006. Originally slotted at $69,000, by the time the contract was paid out, it cost $79,360. It is a cheque that Hold Fast has already received, said McAskill.

The study looks at Whitehorse's future school facility needs, specifically examining what kind of school is needed in Copper Ridge and what should be done with F.H. Collins and Porter Creek Secondary Schools.

'This one is really important and I think a lot of people in Whitehorse are waiting for this report,' said Liberal Education critic Eric Fairclough.

'It means a lot to them to see which way the government will go in the future in regards to the replacement of schools or building new schools.'

Fairclough has been asking Rouble to table the report in the legislative assembly.

'The fact is that the final report has not been received. That is the fact; that is the truth. I am not in possession of the final report,' Rouble told the house.

Fairclough said the minister is presenting inaccurate information to the assembly and Yukoners.

'I cannot believe for one minute that a superintendent had the report since May 23 and did not get around to mentioning it (to Rouble),' said Fairclough.

The report that has been received cannot be considered a final document, said Rouble.

'We will listen to the research that is out there. We will listen to the facts and, when we have the information and we have a good solid foundation for making a decision not a half-done interpretation or half-gathered information or inaccurate information when we have the final draft and when we have the involvement of the community, then we will go forward and we will make the right decision,' said Rouble.

There are departmental concerns about the document, he said. Population density, predicted growth and the number of missing Yukoners in the last census must all be taken into consideration, he said.

It is going through an internal review to see if any of those issues need to be addressed, he said.

'This is a normal part of a process in working with a consultant that government does all the time,' he said. 'The department hasn't agreed this is a final report yet. They haven't signed off that the work is done.'

The department previously asked Hold Fast to go back and edit some parts of the report, said Clea Roberts, Education's spokesperson.

Rouble was unable to provide a date on when that request was made or when it was completed by Hold Fast.

'The department is currently reviewing the report and until that's finalized, it will be considered a draft,' said Roberts.

McAskill said he is aware the department is doing an internal review, but hasn't been given any indication Hold Fast will have to do any more work on it. Nor has he been given any timeline on when the internal review will be concluded.

Fairclough has spoken with people who have had an opportunity to see a copy of the report.

It recommends F.H. Collins be replaced at a cost of approximately $30 million and that the government not move forward on the construction of a new school for at least five years, he said.

The department's own projections for 2006 through 2010 show that enrolment levels at the elementary and high school levels throughout the territory will decrease.

Elementary school student numbers aren't expected to increase until 2011 and high school not until 2013. Neither are expected to hit previous enrolment highs.

'If government followed that report then they can't fulfill their promise that they made during the election,' said Fairclough.

'Part of their election campaign promise was to build a school up in the Copper Ridge area.'