Province boosts construction for new schools in big-city regions
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on February 18, 2025.
newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com The UCP government says it’s shifting school construction into “warp speed” as 11 projects around the Calgary and Edmonton urban centres are ready for construction after announcing an additional $8.6 billion to accelerate the building of schools in 2024. Last September the province announced the new allocation of funding to help build new school and modern learning spaces to keep pace, as the province has experienced “unprecedented growth” in student enrolment in kindergarten to Grade 12. In 2024, Alberta schools saw an increase of 33,000 new students, and the province says it adjusted budget spending by an increase of $2.1 billion to address the “incredible growth.” Since its announcement last September, a government release states, 11 school projects have gone from design state to full construction funding, and will create more than 12,000 new student spaces. “There is no two ways about it, Alberta is growing and growing fast, so we need to build schools now,” Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaidies says in the release. “That’s why we are making a generational investment of $8.6 billion, and fast-tracking the school construction process.” It is anticipated the new projects will be delivered through two public-private partnership bundles, with next steps being contractor selection and project design. “Additional details such as total project costs and timelines will be available once contractors have been selected,” reads the release. The province says its 2024 school capital investment aims to build or modernize more than 200,000 new student spaces within the next seven years, and expects up to 90 new schools will be funded over the next three-years, along with 24 renovations or replacements to modular classrooms. “Our commitment to building schools will help us build and open 200,000 spaces for students in communities that need them the most, all within the next seven years,” adds Nicolaidies. Once a tender has been awarded, construction is set to begin at the 11 schools in Airdrie, Calgary Chestermere, Edmonton and Okotoks. 12-11
These are for schools that are outside of the public education system in Alberta, where the people who are affiliated with these schools were lobbying the UCP.