Alberta fast-tracking 11 new schools across province

Fast-tracked schools for a fast-growing province.

Alberta’s education minister is kickstarting 11 new or improved schools; the projects will create more than 8,000 student spaces.

“Projects that are ready to move to the next stage are now capable and able to receive funding, eliminating the need to wait ’til the next budget cycle. This will help make sure schools are built faster,” said Minister Demetrios Nicolaides.

This announcement builds on a plan released by Alberta’s government last fall, saying it would invest more than $8 billion to build and renovate more than 100 schools. Since then, 33 projects have been approved to move to the next stage of the construction process.

“We are building more schools at a faster rate, never before seen in Alberta,” Nicolaides added. “Through this innovative approach to building more schools now, backed by our generational investment of $8.6 billion to build more than 100 schools across the province, we will ensure every student in Alberta has the space to engage in the province’s world-class education system.”

The projects selected Wednesday affect 10 communities across the province, including a new school and one expanded school for Calgary’s Catholic system. A new high school in west Calgary is moving on to the construction phase from the design phase, Nicolaides said, while an addition and modernization of Bishop McNally High School is moving to the design stage from planning.

The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) says these investments are much needed.

“We are grateful to see two of our high schools advancing in the School Construction Accelerator Program,” said board chair, Shannon Cook. “With our student population growing rapidly and our high schools already over capacity, these new builds and modernizations/additions are critical to ensuring our students have access to quality, Catholic education close to home.”

Other accelerated projects include modernizations in Coalhurst, Donnelly, and Falher, replacement schools in Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie County, Strathmore, Wetaskiwin, and Lac La Biche, and a new middle school in Red Deer.

Edmonton did not make the minister’s list this time, but there is construction money in the 2024 budget for five projects in the capital city, including a $130 million high school in Glenridding Heights.

In a statement to CityNews, the Edmonton Public School Board listed eight projects for which the Government of Alberta announced funding — for either construction, design or planning — earlier this year. That list included the construction funding for Glenridding Heights, as well as a new K-6 school in Rosenthal, and a new Grades 7-9 school in McConachie.

Additionally, design funding was announced for an addition to Dr. Anne Anderson School and for a new K-6 school in Hawks Ridge, while planning funding was announced for high schools in Castle Downs and in The Grange, as well as a K-6 school in Silver Berry.

“With those announcements, the majority of our year 1 priorities listed in the Division’s Three-Year Capital Plan 2025–2028 have received some level of funding,” an EPSB spokesperson said. “We look forward to moving these projects forward to support students and families in Edmonton.”

There are currently 132 active school projects in communities across the province.

Alberta uses a staged school project funding approach that includes pre-planning, planning, design, and construction approvals.

Investment into modular classrooms

Many schools across the province are running over capacity and don’t have room for all of the students registered in their programs.

Alberta needs 200,000 new or updated student spaces due to rapid population growth. Critics of the government have said the UCP waited way too long to start building new schools. The minister acknowledged it’s hard to keep up with demand.

To ensure they have places to learn while additional spaces are built, the province says it is putting significant money toward modular classrooms.

Nicolaides announced $50 million is earmarked to provide modular classrooms to 19 school boards. The funding will build 50 new modular classrooms and relocate 19 others to create 1,650 new and relocated spaces for students.

Alberta had previously invested $90 million in building modular classrooms.

Crews are working to build the new units immediately, the first of which will be ready for pickup in July. Some units will be installed by school divisions before the school year begins. Others will be installed early in the 2025-26 school year.

The minister did not provide a firm timeline for when the 11 schools will be built and opened.

–With files from Sean Amato in Edmonton