Sep. 19, 2024
The Calgary Board of Education welcomed the Sept. 18 announcement from the Government of Alberta, which promises to fast track much-needed school construction and modernization projects across the province.The program promises an investment of $8.6 billion over the next seven years to create 200,000 new and modernized student spaces, addressing the pressing issue of school capacity in fast-growing areas like Calgary.
CBE Board Chair Patricia Bolger expressed appreciation for the province's response to the space challenges facing CBE schools.
“The government has recognized our enrolment pressures and is working with us to address the urgent need to build, modernize and maintain schools in Calgary," Bolger said. “Thank you for this much-needed investment."
The CBE has welcomed more than 143,000 students this school year, an increase of more than 5,000 students compared to last year. Right now, one in four CBE schools is operating at 100 per cent utilization or higher. The system utilization rate is already at 96 per cent and is expected to top 100 per cent in the next two years.
“Our schools are full," Bolger said. “Today's announcement is a step in the right direction for the Calgary Board of Education and the families we serve."
Additionally, the new program will allow school projects to move more quickly through the approval process. Funding for projects will now be granted in-year, rather than waiting for the next provincial budget cycle.
CBE has 13 New School Sites Ready for Construction
Under the new School Construction Accelerator Program, the government has committed to building up to 30 new schools each year over the next three years, with additional plans to modernize up to eight existing schools annually.
The CBE is working closely with the province and city planners to ensure that school sites are ready for construction. Site readiness has been identified as a vital factor in accelerating school builds, and the province is urging school boards and municipalities to collaborate closely to fast-track site permits and services.
The CBE has outlined requests for new schools in high-growth areas and required modernizations of older schools in the
CBE's Three-Year Capital Plan. In the capital plan submitted to the government in March, the CBE requested 21 new schools over three years. All 13 of the first-year requests are site-ready.
“Families in Calgary expect all of these projects to be fully funded so that students can attend school close to home," Bolger said. “The Calgary Board of Education needs 40 schools over the next 10 years to manage enrolment growth."
Modular Classrooms and Faster Approvals
To meet immediate needs, the government also announced the expansion of its modular classroom program, which will add 20,000 student spaces over the next four years. These modular units were announced as a short-term solution for overcrowded schools while permanent school construction is underway.
The CBE is currently working to install 47 previously announced modular classrooms throughout the district, which will provide additional spaces for about 1,200 students.
Example of a modular classroom.
Modernizing Calgary's Aging Schools
The CBE is also reviewing the program's focus on modernizing aging schools, with up to eight modernization projects being approved across the province annually over the next three years. These upgrades will impact 16,600 student spaces across the province, ensuring that older schools are able to meet the needs of today's students with modern facilities and technology.
Fifty-six per cent of CBE's 251 schools are at least 50 years old and that number is set to climb to over 70 per cent over the next decade. “Modernizations are essential to maintaining excellent learning environments for students," Bolger said.
“Site-Ready" Schools in CBE's Three-Year Capital Plan
CBE's Three-Year Capital Plan
