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By The Canadian Press

Schools

Premier announces budget increase to build, modernize schools; ATA reaction

Sep 18, 2024 | 3:03 PM

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says as classrooms get overwhelmed with new grade school students, her government will fast-track new school builds with 8.6-billion dollars over the next three years.

In a televised address, Smith says the province’s existing education budget isn’t enough to keep up with rapid population growth in kindergarten to Grade 12 schools.

She says often the only thing holding back cash is school boards getting projects and sites ready for construction.

The government is also 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.

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.

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Smith says she expects the construction could lead to about 50-thousand new student spaces over the next three years, and 12-thousand-500 new charter school student spaces over the next four years.

In a brief statement, the Alberta Teachers Association calls the announcement “overdue and necessary.”

The ATA also says people are looking for “solutions to address the worsening teaching and learning conditions” in schools.

The association adds that now that more money is going into buildings, it is time to put money towards teachers and students.

– with files from Curtis Galbraith