Catholic schools among those receiving funding in Alberta budget

10 March 2021

Appears in: Archdiocesan News

Fourteen new school projects, including Catholic schools in Edmonton, Camrose and Red Deer, are among those that will receive Alberta government funding.

The provincial government announced March 10 that it is providing $268 million for school construction in the province, including new schools in Edmonton, Camrose, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Manning. This year’s budget also funds five modernizations or additions, two school replacement projects and a school ownership solution.

Among Catholic schools in the Edmonton region, the funding is earmarked for design for a new Grade 10 to 12 Edmonton Catholic high school in the north end of the city, a new Grade 9 to 12 high school in Camrose in the Elk Island Catholic Schools and a new middle school in the Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.

“We are pleased with the news that we have full funding for St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School in Kentwood. We are looking forward to moving to the construction phase once planning and design are finalized,” said Rod Steeves, secretary-treasurer at Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.

“We are building world-class schools in every corner of our province. These projects are putting Albertans to work now while ensuring we have top-tier educational facilities for future students to enjoy,” Infrastructure Minister Prasad Panda said in a statement.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange added:  “Our government is planning for the future by continuing to build schools. New and modernized schools create better learning environments for our students and are an important part of their overall education. I am proud to add 14 new projects this year with dozens of other projects progressing all across the province.”

The provincial government says its 2021 Capital Plan spends $1.6 billion over three years on school infrastructure. In addition to these 14 new school projects, this funding also continues work on more than 62 previously announced school projects across Alberta.

Of these, 19 are expected to be complete through 2021-22. The remaining projects are in various stages of planning, design or construction. Additionally, Capital Maintenance and Renewal funding of $203 million over three years will go to existing school facilities.

The schools receiving funding are:

Airdrie: Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School Division (addition and modernization of St. Martin de Porres High School)
Calgary: Southern Francophone Education Region (new complex in south Calgary, Grades K-6/7-12)
Calgary: Montgomery School, Calgary Board of Education (funding to support ownership options for the Montgomery School)
Camrose: Elk Island Catholic Separate School Division (design funding for new high school, Grades 9-12)
Coaldale: Palliser School Division (replacement and reconfiguration of Kate Andrews High School)
Edmonton: Edmonton Catholic Separate School Division (design funding for new high school in north Edmonton, Grades 10-12)
Evansburg: Grande Yellowhead School Division (design funding for modernization of Grand Trunk School, Grades K-12)
Fort Vermilion: Fort Vermilion School Division (modernization of Fort Vermilion Public School, Grades K-12)
Lethbridge: Lethbridge School Division (new elementary school in west Lethbridge, Grades K-5)
Manning: Peace River School Division (design funding for new school in Manning, Grades K-12)
Milk River: Horizon School Division (design funding for modernization of Milk River School, Grades K-12)
Red Deer: Red Deer School Division (modernization to address health and safety concerns and addition to Hunting Hills School)
Red Deer: Red Deer Catholic Separate School Division (St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School, full build, design was approved in 2019, Grades 6-9)
Sherwood Park: Greater North Central Francophone Education Region (replacement and expansion of École Claudette-et-Denis-Tardif School)