St. Albert may have a new K–9 public school in its northwest by 2028 now that the provincial government has fronted the cash to plan it.
Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced funding for 14 new school projects in the Edmonton region on March 19.
The funding was part of the province’s proposed 2025 budget. If it passes, the budget will fund planning for a new 900-student K–9 school in St. Albert’s Chérot neighbourhood run by St. Albert Public Schools.
“By investing in these schools, we are continuing to address the challenge of growing enrolment and ensuring local students can continue to receive world-class education close to home,” Nicolaides said.
St. Albert Public board chair John Allen said the board was grateful that the province had listened to its requests for a new school.
“This is an area that’s growing really quickly,” he said, and most of the board’s other schools were full.
“With all the growth in Riverside and in Chérot, we need a K–9 there, and we’re happy the government has agreed.”
Allen said the new school would be built on the Chérot community amenities site in St. Albert’s northwest. City plans currently list said site as a place for a “high school”; the board would work with city council to change this to a “school” so this K–9 to be built. (Council was expected to debate this change on April 1.) The board would figure out the school’s name and programs in the coming months and hoped to have it open in three years.
“We needed it yesterday,” Allen said.
Allen said the board still needed a new site for a high school, and would continue to press the province to fund its construction.
Nicolaides also announced cash to design/plan new schools in Edmonton, Beaumont, and Morinville (specifically planning for a replacement building for Morinville Public School).
Visit bit.ly/3Y5ownd for details on the announcement.
