3-party system on P.E.I. requires $1.55M renovation to Coles Building

The P.E.I. government has issued a tender for renovations to the Coles Building, the temporary home of the provincial legislature.

Infrastructure Minister Steven Myers said the renovations are necessary to make room now that three parties have sizeable caucuses in the legislature.

"We're in a three-party situation and probably will be for a while," said Myers.

"We have three big-size caucuses now and they all require space and they all have staff and they all have their own needs."

The first step is moving the archives off the fourth floor and up the street to the Atlantic Technology Centre. That's expected to be done in February, and then the actual renovations will begin. Office space will be created on the fourth floor for third-party offices.

Making accessibility upgrades to the tunnel to Province House, adding accessible washrooms, and installing energy-efficient lighting is also part of the project.

The cost is budgeted at $1.55 million over two fiscal years. The renovation is expected to take about eight months, but it could be delayed if moving the archives takes longer than expected.

It will also have to work around the spring sitting of the legislature.

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