Christ the King Elementary School (CKES) in Riverdale is at “high risk for seismic events,” the Yukon Party said Monday.

Opposition House Leader Scott Kent brought up the issue in question period, citing a letter to Premier Ranj Pillai from the CKES school council.

“CKES’s safety concern is primarily driven by the results of seismic studies done by the Department of Education and the lack of any plan to address the seismic risk at CKES,” the letter states.

It points out that the Nisutlin Drive’s original construction was in 1960. An addition was built in 1965, putting the age of the building at 63 years and the addition at 58 years.

It further states the building code is based on a 50-year design service life, meaning that “significant building code upgrading is required for CKES.”

The council acknowledges that many upgrades have been completed.

“However, those upgrades do not address any of the known serious, seismic, structural issues.”

The letter goes on to state that,“The Department of Education undertook various seismic assess-ments of Yukon’s schools between 2010 and 2014. These assessments identified numerous high risk areas within CKES.

“High risk means that the structure will be damaged beyond repair with widespread damage and structural failure during a seismic event.

“Should such an event occur during school hours, there could be catastrophic results resulting in the injury and death of students and faculty.”

The school council retained David Nairne + Associates to provide an update on the seismic assessments.

The final report, which CKES received on Oct. 22, 2022, reinforced that the building is at “high risk”.

According to the CKES council, in the Yukon government’s five-year capital plan, the school was identified as a budget replacement item in 2019. It was previously removed in 2016 “with no explanation.”

The council stated that it “has been unable to get an explanation from the Yukon Government for this change even though CKES’s building condition assessment results in it being ranked as one of the highest-priority schools for replacement.

“CKES council can only assume that the building was scheduled for replacement in 2015 due to it being prioritized given the age and condition of the structure which would include the risk to students and faculty during a seismic event.

“CKES requests the Yukon Government commit to prioritizing our school in the capital plan in recognition of the building condition and risk identified.”

Kent asked the government, “How much money has the minister included in the 2023-24 Education capital budget to address seismic concerns at Christ the King?”

Highways and Public Works Minister Nils Clarke said his department “is aware of the issue raised about Christ the King Elementary School seismic retrofit and capital infrastructure investments.

“I have advised my department to look into the matter further with the Department of Education ….”

Kent replied, “I heard no answer as to how much was included in this year’s capital budget to ad-dress seismic concerns at Christ the King Elementary.

“In 2018-19, the Liberal budget promised that work would commence on Christ the King in 2020-21 and be completed by 2023; however, in the 2019-20 budget documents, the Liberals flip-flopped on this promise and removed it from their five-year capital plan, and it has not reappeared since.

“What work at Christ the King was contemplated in 2018, and why did the Liberals break yet another promise to Yukoners?”

Education Minister Jeanie McLean then stepped up to the plate for the Liberals.

“… We have consultation under-way now that goes through to May 15, 2023. We are certainly looking to work with the Christ the King Elementary School ….”

McLean then deflected blame for the situation back to the Yukon Party.

“We inherited an infrastructure deficit, really, in schools from the Yukon Party,” she said.

“They sat in government for 14 years, Mr. Speaker, and we have a lot of catching-up to do. The work at Christ the King Elementary School is one of those schools.”

Kent replied, “And still no answers to the questions that we asked today.”

He then pointed out that the CKES council letter says, “… the communication from the depart-ment has been inconsistent and non- committal …. CKES would like to partner with the Department of Education to complete a building assessment that will prioritize capital investments ….”

Kent then said, “They have even offered to co-fund the assessment. So, will the Liberals agree to this request made by the school council and partner to complete a building condition assessment at Christ the King — yes or no?”

McLean responded, “We are conducting right now a long-term capital plan for Whitehorse-based schools. That work is underway. The public can participate in this.

“One of our school communities, of course, is the Christ the King Elementary School.

“I look forward, of course, to working with the Christ the King Elementary School Council and school community. I have met with them previously earlier in my term, and I met with them through a broad communication prior to announcing the replacement of the École Whitehorse Elementary School and committed to them at that time that we would continue to work with the school communities and that we would be taking the approach that we are in right now, which is looking at the long-term capital planning for our Whitehorse schools.”

The government announced in 2022 that École Whitehorse Elementary will be closed in favour of a new school to be built on education reserve land off Range Road in Takhini.

CKES was formerly housed in the school on Wood Street at Fourth Avenue which is now the Wood Street Centre.