A dispute between the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation and the provincial government could disrupt the start of classes at an Edmundston high school in September.

The Madawaska First Nation owns about half of the land where the Cité des Jeunes school is located.

The First Nation has been leasing the property to the province, but a five-year deal has run out and Chief Joanna Bernard has refused to sign a new one.

If the government wants a new lease on the school property, it will have to build highway access ramps to other property owned by the First Nation, Bernard said.

The First Nation wants to develop land in the area and needs the access ramps constructed.

“I’ve been pushing economic development in the community and we need those ramps in order to attract the businesses to lease the property off the highway for commercial purposes,” Bernard said.

Bernard said the government was first told the First Nation wanted the ramps off the Trans-Canada Highway five years ago, and since the Liberals came to power in 2006 she has met once with Premier Shawn Graham and about four times with Transportation Minister Denis Landry.

“It’s time for them to ante up,” Bernard said.

If no deal is reached by the time classes start in September, the First Nation will prevent students from using the part of the school that’s on Madawaska land, Bernard said.

Landry said he won’t be intimidated by the threats.

The government will not be spending taxpayers dollars to construct access ramps to what is currently an empty field, Landry said.

“Bring me solid proof that the business will come and install themselves there and then we’ll see what we can do,” Landry said.

Bernard said there are proposals for the property from one business, but that it will not commit without the highway access.