Blake Ellis/The Independent

Projected costs for the gymnasium renovations at St. Patrick High School have skyrocketed over 40 per cent higher than first anticipated.

And the uncertain trade environment caused by US tariffs is partly to blame. 

A special meeting of the St. Clair Catholic School Board was held on May 13, where St. Clair Catholic’s Associate Director of Corporate Services Amy Park explained the best estimate of the project, $690,000 was presented to trustees on March 30.

Since then, the work was tendered and the school board received five submissions with the lowest being $821,000, which will put the cost of the entire project at $972,000. This is an increase of over 40 percent. 

Trustees approved the lowest bid, with the project being covered under the school board’s school condition allocation funding. 

It was explained to trustees that construction costs are rising. 

Many contractors, Park said, are allotting a safety net in their bids to account for tariff uncertainty, wanting to have a cushion if tariffs are implemented on goods before the project can be finished.

 Some of the costs that have risen have been on masonry work as well as mechanical and electrical costs. 

The gymnasium renovations will include the construction of a drop down stage, refinishing the gym floor, replacing basketball nets, installing a new sound system as well as painting.