Renovation Information
General Information
Confederation Centre of the Arts is undergoing the largest revitalization project in its 60-year history. Supported by the governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island, the $65 million renovation and expansion started the first week of October 2024.
The project will result in the founding of a cultural leadership institute which will allow the Centre to offer more attractions and programs to residents and visitors year-round. New spaces and facilities will support the growth of new Canadian work in theatre and visual arts, expand training opportunities in the national cultural industry, serve the local community with accessible arts classes for everyone, provide visitors with a cultural learning space to explore Canadian Confederation, and provide spaces for community events and conferences.
The renovation of the former library space is a major Infrastructure investment into PEI and Atlantic Canada. This investment will immediately provide benefit to the trades and contractors in PEI and the region. Once complete, the new facility will attract more people to Atlantic Canada and will further drive employment and GDP growth. It will build on Confederation Centre of the Arts’ already significant tourism draw and economic impact, which includes $27 million to GDP and 403 full-time equivalent jobs.
Project Details
The renovation includes:
- Full renovation of the interior of the former library space.
- A major energy retrofit with rooftop solar that will reduce the facility’s energy consumption by an estimated 68.8 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 286 tonnes annually.
- The construction of a street level entrance on Victoria Row to make the space more accessible and welcoming, as well as new construction to add space and allow for more natural light.
- New classrooms and learning spaces for visual arts, choral music, theatre, and dance.
- Artists in residence spaces.
- The addition of a stage-sized rehearsal hall on the southwest plaza that will also serve as rentable community space for events and conferences.
- Major improvements to accessibility.
- The development of interpretive spaces to facilitate learning about Canadian Confederation and its wider impact.
Construction Information
Brighton has issued and awarded several tenders for subcontractors for everything from electrical, to plumbing, to mass timber. Many Island companies and tradespeople will see direct benefit from this project.
The project began in early October and is expected to be complete by May 2026.
Brighton Construction and the Centre have worked closely with the City on the permitting process to ensure the project can be carried out safely with as little disruption as possible.
At no point during the project is there any plan for Victoria Row businesses to close or shut down. This includes the south sidewalk and patios which can remain open and accessible to the public.
There will be periods of time where a safety partition must be in place on the south side of the roadway, but still north of the patios on Victoria Row, as depicted in the images.
The Centre expects the partition to be in place from January 2025 to the end of June 2025 at which time it will be removed, the Victoria Row stage will be rebuilt, and people can continue to enjoy “The Row” as they always have.
The safety partition will be re-installed in mid-September 2025 and will remain in place until the end of the project in May 2026.
For more information, check out the Project Blog.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Province of Prince Edward Island.
Learn more about the project
Contact Andrew Sprague, Director of Communications and Community Engagement
902-628-6138 or [email protected]