Eighteen new schools are coming to Calgary and surrounding areas to address increasing enrolment pressures as part of Budget 2025 promises.
According to a news release on Friday, the new schools will add 14,400 new and updated student spaces in Calgary, Airdrie and Chestermere. This brings the total number of school projects in and around Calgary to 49.
Eleven public schools will receive design funding if Budget 2025 is passed, including:
Two public schools will receive planning funding if Budget 2025 is passed, including:
One new K-to-8 school in Airdrie and a new Grades 10 to 12 school in Chestermere, both part of Rocky Valley Schools, will also receive planning funding if Budget 2025 is passed.
In addition to the new public schools, Foundations for the Future Charter Academy will receive modernization funding and Almadina Language Charter Academy will receive funding for a new Grade 10 to 12 program if Budget 2025 is passed.
École de la Rose sauvage, which is part of Conseil scolaire FrancoSud, will also receive modernization funding if the provincial budget is passed.
“Building schools closer to home will mean that parents and students will not have to spend long times on the bus or in the car to get to school,” said Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides at a news conference on Friday.
“Secondly, by building all of these schools, we will create much needed spaces and significantly reduce class sizes. Smaller class sizes, of course, mean more students can enjoy one-on-one time with their teachers and enrich their learning.”
Friday’s announcement is also part of the province’s School Construction Accelerator Program, which aims to add 200,000 new student spaces over the next seven years with an $8.6 billion investment. This includes building 90 new schools and modernizing 24 schools across the province, as well as expanding the modular classroom program and public charter school builds.
Patricia Bolger, president of the Calgary Board of Education’s Board of Trustees, said schools are community hubs where families build relationships. More than a third of the CBE’s 250 schools are operating at a 100 per cent utilization rate or higher, she said.
“When families have a school close to where they live, their kids can attend the same school as others in the neighbourhoods, and families find it easier to become involved in the life of their community,” she said at Friday’s news conference.
“Recognizing that it can take two to four years, we hope to see the designs for these schools begin as soon as possible. Our goal is that through the school construction accelerator program, these schools will quickly move from design to shovels in the ground … It will be a great day when we can welcome students and staff into each of these new schools.”
Hélène Emmell, chair of Conseil scolaire FrancoSud, said the announcement is a good first step to building better communities and providing students with high-quality education.
“We look forward to working with the Alberta government and get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible … Ensuring that our province offers a dynamic Francophone education system with modern infrastructure brings a rich diversity to our communities. It can be a major factor when it comes to a family’s decision on where to live, where to buy a house, where to work, where to raise a family,” she said.
“We are grateful to the government of Alberta’s support for this publicly funded Francophone public and Francophone Catholic education and its commitment to building and monetizing schools across the province.”
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