Alberta's 2026 Budget Allocates Funding for 14 School Projects in Calgary
In a significant move to address growing enrollment pressures, the Alberta government has announced funding for 14 new school projects in Calgary through its 2026 budget. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides revealed on Friday that this includes 11 entirely new schools specifically targeted at fast-growing communities on the city's outskirts.
Targeting High-Growth Areas
The new schools will be constructed in communities identified as experiencing rapid population growth, including Mahogany, Carrington, Cityscape, Legacy, and Ambleton. These areas have been struggling with capacity issues as families continue to move to Calgary's suburban neighborhoods.
"These projects were the ones identified as the highest priority by CCSD and CBE," Nicolaides stated in an interview. "They, of course, have a robust process in place to determine where schools are needed. These communities they have identified are in high-growth areas and in communities that are rapidly growing."
Project Timeline and Phases
While the funding has been secured, construction on the 11 new schools remains one to two years away from groundbreaking. The process involves multiple stages:
- Planning Phase: This initial stage includes scoping, site selection, utility preparations, and permitting permissions.
- Design Phase: Following planning, projects move to detailed architectural renderings and site planning.
- Construction Phase: Once begun, construction typically takes another one to two years before schools open to students.
"It does vary depending on the individual school project but it's quite likely—we would expect—to see groundbreaking underway within a year and a half to two years," Nicolaides explained regarding the timeline.
Distribution Between School Divisions
The budget supports nine projects benefiting the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and three projects supporting the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD). Among the specific allocations:
- CBE receives planning funding for an addition to Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School in south Calgary
- Design funding for a new elementary/junior high school in Cityscape
- Design funding for a new elementary school in Walden
- Planning funding for seven new schools in Carrington, Cityscape, Kincora/Sage Hill, Mahogany, Country Hills, Legacy, and Ambleton
Addressing Urgent Space Needs
The funding announcement comes as existing schools like Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School operate at overcapacity. The additional projects include one school addition, one replacement of an existing school, and an expansion of the Alberta Classical Academy charter school in Currie.
CBE board chair Laura Hack expressed gratitude for the investment, stating: "We are excited that thousands of CBE students will have access to public education closer to home. We are grateful for this investment that helps address our urgent and ongoing need for more space for our students."
The comprehensive approach to school infrastructure in Calgary's 2026 budget represents a proactive response to demographic shifts and educational demands in Alberta's largest city.
