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The Government of Alberta announced it is committing $8.6 billion through the new School Construction Accelerator Program to create more than 200,000 new and modernized spaces for students.
Starting in Budget 2025, the province will kick-start up to 30 new schools and as many as eight modernizations and replacement schools every year for the next three years.
“Every student deserves a quality education in a school that can meet their learning needs and set them on a path to success in the future. As hundreds of thousands of people are choosing to make Alberta their home, we are responding by funding and building the schools our fast-growing communities need. As we build, we’re asking school boards and municipalities to work with us so we can get shovels in the ground as quickly as possible,” said Danielle Smith, Premier.
The School Construction Accelerator program also takes immediate action to speed up the construction of schools by enabling school projects to be approved in-year for their next stage in the construction process without having to wait for the next budget cycle. This means all previously approved school projects currently in the planning and design stages can move forward to the next stage as soon as they are ready to do so. Through this change, 10 previously announced priority school projects are now approved for the next stage of project delivery, including six moving to full construction.
“We are investing in the future of our province. Through our commitment to kick-start 30 new schools each year over the next three years, we are delivering new student spaces across the province and in our fastest-growing communities for students to learn, grow and reach their full potential,” said Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education
In response to the government’s announcement, the Calgary Construction Association called for industry collaboration to achieve the construction plan, including the need for improvements in procurement practices and mitigating the ongoing labour shortage within the construction sector.
“We acknowledge the Government of Alberta for prioritizing education infrastructure, and we are ready to collaborate on ensuring the success of the School Construction Accelerator Program,” said Bill Black, president and CEO of the Calgary Construction Association. “By working together with the Government to reform procurement practices and address the labour shortage, we can ensure these critical projects are delivered on time and to the highest standard.”
In addition to procurement, the ongoing labour shortage is a shared concern that could impact the delivery of these large-scale projects, according to the CCA.
“We remain committed to advocating for workforce development and urges the government to join us in investing in training and skills development programs that will attract and retain the skilled labour required to meet Alberta’s infrastructure goals.” |
