Alberta to boost spending on new K-12 school construction over next three years by $6.5B to $8.6B

Alberta's premier announced a plan Tuesday evening during a televised address her government will boost the amount of money being spent on new school construction over the next three years to $8.6 billion, an increase of $6.5 billion from what was originally promised in the 2024 budget.

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Danielle Smith said during the address on both CTV and Global surpluses from both this year and a "modest" one next year would fund the increase.

The move comes as the population of the province has grown by more than 200,000 in 2023. In her address, Smith said Alberta Kindergarten-to-Grade-12 schools have seen a population increase of 33,000 students per year.

"This will allow us to complete actual construction on approximately 50,000 new student spaces over the next three years, and to complete and open 150,000 new spaces over the next four years after that," Smith said

"This is quite literally the fastest and largest build our province can manage, given available construction workforce capacity and the time it takes to permit prepare and service available school sites."

Smith also announced new programs to provide, over the next four years, 20,000 new student spaces using modular classrooms and 12,500 charter school spaces.

She also said the government is "developing a school capital pilot program for non-profit private schools to incentivize investment in the creation of thousands of new independent school student spaces at a reduced per student cost to taxpayers."

The premier said often the only thing holding back the cash is school boards getting projects ready for construction.

"If you can prepare the sites, the province will have the dollars set aside to get shovels in the ground," said Smith.

The government is changing the process of approving construction funding so school boards don’t need to wait every year for the next budget cycle to get the go-ahead.

Previously approved school projects that are now in the planning and design stages could move forward to the next stage as soon as they are ready.

Smith's announcement comes as the province's two largest divisions, Edmonton Public Schools and the Calgary Board of Education, say their schools are expected to have a utilization rate of well over 90 per cent this school year, with some schools hitting capacity.

The Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) in an emailed statement called Tuesday's announcement about new school construction "overdue and necessary."

"Teachers, students and parents are looking for tangible solutions to address the worsening teaching and learning conditions in our public schools," Heather Grant, the ATA's media relations liaison, said in the statement.

"Now that the government has started to invest in bricks and mortars, it needs to invest in teachers and students."

Sandra Palazzo, board chair for the Edmonton Catholic School Division, told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday evening news of the funding boost "is great news."

"We continue to work with government collaboratively to ensure that our capital projects are provided to us, and we look forward to more schools being announced," Palazzo said at the opening of Father Michael McCaffery Catholic High School in the city's southwest.

Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi said in a Calgary media conference following the 10-minute address while he credits the government for the investment in public school spaces, he questions the timing of it.

"Why in September, when we've lost a construction season? Why not in the budget, so that people could plan?” said Nenshi, the former Calgary mayor who assumed the NDP leadership in June.

“By announcing this all at once, they've massively increased the inflation and the cost of construction for every single one of those schools … We could have been methodical. We could have been thoughtful. We could have built schools as they were needed.”

Smith also used her television address to take a swipe at Ottawa, accusing Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government of "unrestrained" border policies.

The premier said historically high immigration levels - especially for those with temporary visas - is exacerbating housing shortages and challenging education, health and other social services infrastructure.

"Alberta has always welcomed newcomers who possess our shared values - and we will continue to do so," said Smith, explaining her definition of shared values.

"Welcoming those who believe in working hard, protecting our freedoms, contributing to society, following the rule of law, and who have a deep respect for other cultures and faiths different from their own, has long been a strength of our provincial culture and history."

Smith called for "more sensible and restrained" policies but did not provide details.

With files from CTV News Calgary's Darren Wright and The Canadian Press