Funding for new schools in Alberta

Budget 2025, if passed, will fund nine new school projects for families in smaller urban cities and rural communities, outside of Calgary and Edmonton metro regions.

Alberta’s population has grown rapidly in the last few years, and this unprecedented population growth has led to enrolment pressures on Alberta schools. To meet these challenges, in fall 2024, Alberta’s government announced a generational investment of $8.6 billion to build more than 100 new and updated schools across the province. Budget 2025, if passed, kick-starts this investment with funding for nine school projects in rural communities and smaller cities across the province.

New schools will be built for families in Lethbridge, Brooks, Fairview, Muskiki Lake and Cold Lake, with modernization projects taking place at Brooks Composite High School and École Dickinsfield School in Fort McMurray. To accommodate growing student populations, additions will also be made to Grande Prairie Composite High School and Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Fort McMurray. Together, these projects represent a significant investment in expanding student spaces outside the Edmonton and Calgary metro areas.

“We are taking action to address the challenges facing rural schools and communities outside metro Edmonton and Calgary. While some schools in rural Alberta are getting older and need to be modernized or replaced, other communities are experiencing growing enrolment. I’m proud to say our Budget 2025 commitment addresses both challenges – and this is just the beginning.”

Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education

In total, these nine school projects will deliver about 7,600 new and updated student spaces for smaller urban cities and rural communities in Alberta.

Budget 2025, if passed, funds a total of 41 new school projects across the province, which consists of 30 new schools, five replacement schools, three modernizations and three charter school projects. With these 41 projects funded in Budget 2025, there are now 132 active school projects across Alberta. More than one-third are in smaller centres outside the Edmonton and Calgary metro areas.

“Alberta Infrastructure is committed to getting students into desks as soon as possible, while ensuring their classrooms are well-built and well-maintained for generations of positive learning. Our province is built on strong communities and projects like these will have a generational impact on students as they learn and grow in these facilities.”

Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure

Details on school projects in the Edmonton and Calgary metro regions will be shared in the coming days.

“We are incredibly excited to learn the Alberta government has granted design funding for the modernization of the Career and Technology Studies spaces at Brooks Composite High School.  We know these modernized and state of art CTS spaces will provide students with critical access and opportunities in the pursuit of career pathways, trades and workplace preparation.”

Pat Connor, board chair, Grasslands Public School Division

“We are thrilled to receive this planning funding for a new K-12 school for St. Thomas More in Fairview. We are extremely grateful to the provincial government for recognizing the importance of this investment in the community, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the students and families of St. Thomas More, and Catholic Education in Fairview.”

Kelly Whalen, board chair, Holy Family Catholic Regional Division

Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on supporting the economy.

Quick facts

• The 2025 Capital Plan allocates $75 million over the next three years for the planning and design of the 41 school capital projects approved in 2025 and $2.3 billion to building and updating previously announced school projects.
• With Budget 2025, if passed, there are now 47 school projects underway in communities outside of the Edmonton and Calgary metro areas:
  • 27 projects in construction
  • 6 projects in design
  • 13 projects in planning
  • 1 project in preplanning

Budget 2025, if passed, new school projects outside Edmonton and Calgary metro regions:

Budget 2025, if passed, replacement school projects outside Edmonton and Calgary metro regions: 

Budget 2025, if passed, modernization school projects outside Edmonton and Calgary metro regions: