Edmonton boards welcome provincial funding for school construction

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Edmonton’s two largest school boards said the province’s investment towards constructing and planning new schools is welcomed, but stressed the need for new school construction to keep pace with high enrolment numbers.

Alberta’s budget 2024 announced last Thursday promised $ 2.1 billion over three years to constructing an additional 43 school projects, funding a total of 98 school projects in various stages of completion across the province between 2024 and 2027. Projects will include replacing, constructing and planning for new schools.

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Julie Kusiek, board chairwoman at Edmonton Public Schools, said the funding is a step in the right direction. Edmonton public will receive funding for one school to be fully constructed — a new grade 7-12 School in Glenridding Heights. While Kusiek was hoping the government would be funding the full construction of more than one school at Edmonton public, it is better than nothing.

“We’re seeing about 5,000 new students each year. Over the next 10 years, we’re expecting about 60,000 new students. What that looks like in terms of new school construction, we’re anticipating the need for 50 new schools over the next 10 years,” Kusiek said. 

“We need to find a way to work with the government to accelerate the pace of new school construction in order to keep pace with new student enrolment growth.” 

In an interview with Postmedia, she said the new school in Glenridding Heights will have capacity for 2,400 students. But for the 2023-2024 school year Edmonton public saw an additional 5,800 students, bringing the year total to 117,000 students. Kusiek said they are still seeing more enrolments on a weekly basis.

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On average, schools take three to five years to be built, Kusiek said.

Edmonton public will receive funding for the replacement of two schools, Delton School and Spruce Avenue School.

Christine Meadows, spokesperson for Edmonton Catholic Schools, said in a statement to Postmedia, nearly 40 per cent of their school buildings — 36 of 92 schools — are full or over capacity. Since the enrolment count in September, Edmonton Catholic’s enrolment has grown by 737 students, bringing the current enrolment for the school year to 48,500.

Board chairwoman Sandra Palazzo said the funding was a significant step forward in aiding with overcrowding in schools, in a statement last Friday.

“The decision to fully fund construction is tremendously responsive to the school infrastructure crisis that exists in those areas. We strongly feel that families should be able to receive an excellent Catholic education for their children in the neighbourhood that they call home.”

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Edmonton Catholic will see funding for the full construction of four K-9 schools in Heritage Valley Cavanagh, Rundle, Crystallina Nera and Hayes Ridge. Design funding is provided for two new K-9 schools in Lauren and River’s Edge.

Funding split into three different categories

Funding was split into three categories in the province’s announcement — full construction funding which includes all activities necessary to fully complete the project, design funding which includes the preparation of construction tender documents, and planning funding which include site analysis and scope development activities.

Here’s a breakdown of where funding for schools at Edmonton Catholic and Edmonton public will go towards:

Full construction funding

Edmonton Catholic Schools: 

• New K-9 school in Heritage Valley Cavanagh 
• Solution in Rundle (K-9)
• New K-9 school in Crystallina Nera 
• New K-9 school in Hays Ridge

Edmonton Public Schools:

• New 7-12 School in Glenridding Heights

Design funding

Edmonton Catholic Schools: 

• New K-9 school in Laurel
• New K-9 school in River’s Edge

Edmonton Public Schools: 

• New K-6 school in Glenridding Heights
• New K-6 school in Rosenthal 
• New 7-9 school in McConachie 

Planning funding

Edmonton Public Schools: 

• Replacement of Delton School (K-6)
• Replacement of Spruce Avenue School (7-9)

Conseil Scolaire Centre-Nord:

• New 7-12 public/Catholic school

ctran@postmedia.com

X: @kccindytran

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