Saskatoon elementary school ceiling collapses twice in three years

A ceiling collapsed for the second time in three years on Monday at a Saskatoon elementary school.

After two classrooms and a library were called “unusable” and days of classes were cancelled because of a roof collapse in 2023, Saskatoon’s École Canadienne-Française – Pavillon Monique-Rousseau is once again facing required ceiling repair work.

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More than three years ago, Love said Premier Scott Moe and the Minister of Education at the time received a petition with more than 200 signatures, alerting the provincial government to crowded conditions in the school and challenges due to the aging building.

Saskatchewan NDP education critic, Matt Love, said he toured the school after that petition to see the conditions firsthand, alongside two Saskatchewan Party MLAs. A flood followed that visit, resulting in a library, classroom and the school’s daycare being affected.

Ceiling damage at Saskatoon’s École Monique Rousseau in 2023. (Saskatchewan NDP/Submitted)

“Thankfully, no one was hurt or injured in this incident, but it points to a reality and to a truth that I say that there’s nowhere in this province or anywhere where children and teachers should enter into a building with these types of unsafe learning conditions,” Love said, speaking with reporters outside of the school on Thursday morning.

Love alleged students and staff were put at risk by the most recent roof incident at the 114-year-old school. 

The official Opposition has heard from families since parents and guardians were notified of the event by email on Monday afternoon, said Love. These families, according to the NDP MLA, feel as though their concerns about the school have not been heard.

“They’ve sent petitions, they’ve written letters, they’ve lobbied the government … what these parents say is this government isn’t listening, and they don’t appear to care,” Love said.

Matt Love, Saskatchewan NDP education critic, speaks outside of Saskatoon’s École Canadienne Française- Pavillion Monique Rosseau on Jan. 15, 2026. (Libby Gray/650 CKOM)

According to a statement from the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises school division in Saskatoon, an incident happened in the school’s library and specialized engineers have now inspected the damage.

“They confirm that the element involved, originating from a remnant of the former school, poses no structural risk and that the safety of students and staff is not compromised,” the statement, sent to 650 CKOM on Thursday, read.

The library at the school will remain closed as a precautionary measure for the time being, while repairs are being completed, the statement said. Preventative inspections are also happening in other parts of the school, which is reportedly in line with “standard procedure,” the school division’s statement said.

“The safety and well-being of students and staff remain our highest priority,” the Conseil des écoles fransaskoises said.

Love claimed the provincial government has known about these challenges and has not taken action to support this school community appropriately.

According to Love, the Saskatchewan NDP obtained a report in August through a freedom of information request that found thirteen schools in the province were in “critical” condition and another 132 schools in “poor” condition. The report had been prepared by a government capital planning branch in June last year.

“This is a challenge across the province,” Love told reporters.

An incident in the library at Saskatoon’s École Canadienne Française- Pavillion Monique Rosseau is the second time parts of the school’s ceiling have collapsed in three years. (Libby Gray/650 CKOM)

When asked whose responsibility it is to ensure appropriate building maintenance and repairs happen, Love said provincial government funding must be adequate for these actions to be carried out.

“They do not receive enough money and preventative maintenance and renewal to maintain their buildings,” Love said, speaking of schools and school divisions in the province.

“This isn’t about one school division or one school. It’s about systemic failures of the SAS party to adequately fund education.”

When asked about budgeted funds for emergency maintenance and repair situations like these facing schools, Love said schools do not receive emergency support from the province for this.

The Conseil des écoles fransaskoises school division did not respond to that question in its statement.