Alberta Increases Budget for New Schools Amid Population Surge

On Tuesday evening, Alberta‘s Premier Danielle Smith announced that the province will allocate $8.6 billion over the next seven years for the construction of new K-12 schools. This significant financial boost is a response to the rapid growth in Alberta’s student population, which she attributes to Canada‘s immigration policy under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In her address, Premier Smith highlighted Alberta’s strong fiscal position, noting last year’s surplus and the anticipated modest surplus this year. These conditions have enabled the province to increase its capital budget for educational infrastructure by approximately $6.5 billion. The funds will be used to create 200,000 new student spaces over seven years through the newly introduced school construction accelerator program. This program aims to construct up to 30 new schools annually, a substantial increase from the current dozen, and to renovate or replace up to eight schools each year.

Ms. Smith noted the unprecedented influx of students, with an estimated 33,000 new pupils joining Alberta’s education system annually since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Alberta’s official estimates indicate an increase of 29,980 students in the 2023-24 school year, 24,288 in 2022-23, and 10,976 in 2021-22. The Premier attributed these challenges to the federal government’s immigration policies, which she perceives as excessive and unregulated.

Premier Smith criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government’s approach to immigration, suggesting that it disproportionately burdens provincial services such as education, healthcare, and housing. She called for a reduction in immigration to levels aligned with Canada’s economic needs and infrastructure capacity, citing previous policies under Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a model.

Alberta, Canada’s fastest-growing province, is anticipated to reach a population of 4.9 million shortly, following a year-over-year increase of approximately 205,000 people, or 4.41%, from April 2023 to April 2024. Despite past support for population growth aimed at economic expansion, Ms. Smith has adjusted her stance, reflecting concerns over current resources and infrastructure capacities.

Additionally, Ms. Smith announced plans for a Charter School Accelerator Program, which will add 12,500 student spaces in charter schools over the next four years. She also discussed the importance of investment in health and transportation infrastructure to accommodate Alberta’s growing population.

The Premier urged school boards and municipalities, particularly in high-growth areas such as Calgary and Edmonton, to prioritize preparing sites for new schools to expedite construction. She assured that funding would be available once sites are ready, underscoring the provincial commitment to addressing educational infrastructure needs.