Smith announces one-time investment in schools; OKs projects in Redcliff, Taber

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Ryan Dahlman

Southern Alberta Newspapers

During an evening TV address Sept. 17, Premier Danielle Smith announced her government would be increasing capital spending for K-12 educational spaces to $8.6 billion by budget 2026-27, including new school projects in Redcliff and Taber.

Smith announced the province will be making a one-time capital investment called the New School Construction Accelerator program to help build more schools and classroom spaces for approximately 50,000 new students over the next three years.

Additionally Smith says the investment will allow the province to complete an additional 150,000 new student spaces by 2030-31.

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

The program looks to alleviate the “unprecedented” growth of student population in the province that is projected to increase by 33,000 students this year.

“That is the equivalent to roughly 35 new schools each year,” said Smith, who says the province’s budget allocation of $2.1 billion for new school construction and modernizations was “simply not enough for the growth we are experiencing.”

The province’s new accelerator program will also fund the purchase of new modular classrooms to create new educational spaces for 20,000 students over the next four years.

As well, a portion of the accelerator program funding will be used to create 12,500 new educational spaces for students attending charter schools over the next four years.

Smith announced through the new program her government has approved full construction funding for new school projects in eight jurisdictions, including Redcliff and Taber. 

According to information included as part of Horizon School Division’s Sept. 23 board meeting agenda, Smith was referencing the ongoing modernization of W.R. Myers High School and D.A. Ferguson Middle School, which will include additional government funding for furniture, equipment and technical studies, as well as mechanical, electrical and cosmetic upgrades. 

“We need all hands on deck to begin construction on many more schools before the end of this school year,” said Smith. “Oftentimes, the only thing holding back construction of a new school is a school board or municipality not having the site prepared or permitted for construction.”

In a portion of her announcement, Smith told all provincial public, Catholic and francophone school boards to work with their municipalities and the ministry of education to get priority school sites permitted, serviced and prepared for “immediate” construction.

“If you can prepare the sites, the province will have the dollars set aside to get shovels in the ground,” said Smith. “Bring us a proposal for new shovel-ready projects and renovations that will result in new student spaces, and we will work with you on making an appropriate level of funding available.”

Smith also announced the province is developing a capital pilot program to incentivize the creation of new independent school student spaces that reduce the per student costs to taxpayers.

“There is no time to lose in getting our school construction accelerator program off the ground right now to accelerate school construction immediately.”