The province’s new move to spend $8.6 billion on school construction in seven years could mean more space for St. Albert students, say the superintendents of this city’s two biggest school boards.
Premier Danielle Smith announced a new $8.6 billion School Construction Accelerator Program on Sept. 17. Meant to address rapid population growth, the program aims to build 50,000 new student spaces by 2027, with another 150,000 to be added by 2031. This would take the form of about 90 new schools and 24 modernizations or school replacements in the next seven years.
Good news, says superintendents
This announcement was good news for Alberta schools, many of which need more student space, said St. Albert Public superintendent Krimsen Sumners.
“We’ve all be asking for new schools and modulars and modernizations, so I think the province has really stepped up and listened and heard the needs,” she said.
St. Albert Public trustees asked the province to back the construction of a new 900-student K–9 school in northwest St. Albert and a 1,650-student high school in Erin Ridge North by 2025 as part of their 2025-28 capital plan.
Sumners noted the public board’s two high schools are now basically full (although Bellerose is currently undergoing an expansion), with Lois Hole Elementary at about 115 per cent capacity. It also has a large number of old portables in need of replacement.
“The premier did say if you’ve got shovel-ready sites, bring us plans,” Sumners said, adding St. Albert has six such sites available.
“We intend to bring some plans to the province to see what we can get.”
Sumners approved of the province’s commitment to review its weighted-moving average formula for school funding, noting that model penalizes rapidly growing school districts such as those in St. Albert.
In an email, Greater St. Albert Catholic superintendent Clint Moroziuk said the province’s announcement holds promise, as the district has several schools that are at or near capacity.
The GSACRD board prioritized construction of a new K-9 school in Riverside, a high school in Chérot, and the modernization of Legal, Bertha Kennedy, and École Notre Dame schools in its latest three-year capital plan.
The Alberta Teachers’ Association said this program’s commitment to build more schools did not include any new cash for school operations, despite ongoing issues with overcrowded classrooms and teacher recruitment.
“New buildings are welcomed, but what good are schools without teachers?” ATA president Jason Schilling said in a media release.
Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord superintendent Robert Lessard declined to comment on the province’s new school program.
Sturgeon Public officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Details on the new program can be found at www.alberta.ca/school-construction-accelerator-program.
