The Sophie-Barat high school in Montreal is in such poor condition that a recent visit by the CNESST showed that urgent corrective measures needed to be taken to solve problems with mold and possible exposure to asbestos. The Minister of Education nevertheless assures that the health of students and staff is “a priority”.
Posted at 10:32
Updated at 12:03 p.m.
Located in the Ahuntsic district of Montreal, this school is the oldest building owned by the Montreal school service center. It is considered in “very poor condition” by Quebec, and its asset maintenance deficit amounts to nearly $50 million.
The Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) carried out an inspection there last week and found shortcomings in several places.
In the weight room as well as in two corridors, the inspectors noted that acoustic tiles are perforated or absent. ” […] These openings in the suspended ceiling could pose a risk that asbestos dust could fall to the floor,” reads the CNESST report.
We also learn that water damage occurred at the school during the torrential rains that fell on the metropolis on September 13th.
PHOTO FROM A CNESST REPORT
A ceiling of the Sophie-Barat school where the tiles have not been replaced.
” […] The vinyl tile floors in the weight room and janitor room are not yet completely dry from the water damage,” the report noted.
There is also a report of an acoustic tile “showing a ring of at least 50 cm in diameter, curved and pierced by the weight of water” in a corridor on the third floor.
“According to a teacher met at the scene, the tile has been in this state for more than a year. Thus, contrary to the procedure described by the employer, the acoustic tiles showing traces of water flow are not systematically replaced”, observes the CNESST.
The case of Sophie-Barat is “an illustration of the failure of the Montreal social service center (CSSDM)”, says the president of the Alliance of Montreal teachers.
“The CNESST report is unequivocal: we are not in the recommendation, we are in the urgency to act. We are there for the teachers of Sophie-Barat and for all those of Montreal, ”says Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre.
“Preventive” recommendations, says the CSSDM
The report’s recommendations “are above all preventive,” said CSSDM spokesperson Alain Perron.
“No compromise is made when it comes to the health and safety of our students and staff,” assures Mr. Perron.
Released on September 20, the report gave the service desk two days to make the requested fixes. They should therefore have been completed on Thursday. The CSSDM assures that they “have been quickly realized or are in the process of being”. The CNESST must return to the Sophie-Barat school next week.
In the office of Minister of Education Jean-François Roberge, they say they have obtained “the assurance that the CSSDM is in contact with the CNESST and that together they have a game plan to correct the situation quickly”.
In a written statement sent to The PressMinister Roberge ensures that the CSSDM has the money to do the work requested.
“I would add that if additional funds are needed to correct the situation more quickly, we will make sure to release them since our priority for all remains the health and safety of students and staff,” said Minister Roberge.
The Sophie-Barat secondary school has around 1,700 students. In 2020, nearly a third of them were urgently relocated to a school in the Saint-Michel district because part of the building was in danger of collapsing.