Connect with us

Alberta

Province announces a new High School for Blackfalds and plans for a new Middle School in Red Deer

Published

6 minute read

Minister LaGrange, Minister Panda and Minister Sawhney announce provincial school capital funding at Nose Creek School in Calgary.

From the Province of Alberta

Building schools for the future

Following through on its commitment to continue building new schools, the province has announced 25 new school projects.

The Budget 2019 capital plan supports 15 new schools, including brand new high schools in Calgary, Edmonton, Leduc, Blackfalds and Langdon. Six schools are slated for replacement and four will receive modernization or additions. Together, the 25 projects will receive $397 million.

“We made a promise to Albertans that our government will continue to build new schools, and we are doing exactly that. Through our significant investment in new schools, replacements, modernizations and infrastructure upkeep, our children will continue to learn in up-to-date and safe spaces. This will result in better success in our classrooms. The future is bright for Alberta students.”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Education

“These 25 projects confirm our government’s commitment to continue to build schools across the province. Alberta Infrastructure will continue to deliver key infrastructure projects to build prosperity for Albertans.”

Prasad Panda, Minister of Infrastructure

Budget 2019 also includes $1.4 billion over four years to continue work on previously announced school projects across Alberta, which includes $123 million for about 250 new modular classrooms to address the most urgent needs for additional space across the province. There are more than 60 projects underway in the province. Twenty-seven are expected to be open for the 2020-21 school year, and the remaining projects are in various stages of planning and construction.

The province will also provide $527 million to school divisions for plant operations and maintenance to support the day-to-day upkeep of school facilities. Additionally, $194 million will support the capital maintenance and renewal of existing school buildings through the Infrastructure Maintenance and Renewal Program.

“I am pleased that the government chose to make this announcement here in Calgary-North East. Students and families in my community will be relieved to hear that they will be getting the new high school we have needed for a long time. I’m proud that this critical funding was included in Budget 2019, as this was one of my first and most important motivations for why I wanted to represent Calgary-North East at the legislature.”

Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Community and Social Services and MLA for Calgary-North East

“On behalf of our students and the Calgary Board of Education, we would like to thank Minister LaGrange and Minister Panda for this important investment in school capital. We are pleased they chose to come to Calgary to make this provincial announcement and look forward to new CBE schools that will benefit students in north Calgary and in the growing community of Auburn Bay.”

Marilyn Dennis, chair, Calgary Board of Education

The 25 capital projects are:

Community School Authority Project Type/Name
*Beaumont Conseil scolaire Centre Nord (Greater North Central Francophone Education Region) new school (K-12)
*Blackfalds Wolf Creek Public Schools new high school (9-12)
Buffalo Head Prairie Fort Vermilion School Division Blue Hills Community School addition & modernization
Calgary – Auburn Bay Calgary Board of Education new elementary school (K-4)
Calgary – Auburn Bay Calgary Board of Education new middle school (5-9)
Calgary – north Calgary Board of Education new high school (10-12)
Carstairs Chinook’s Edge School Division Carstairs Elementary School addition
Cochrane Calgary Catholic School District new elementary/junior high school (K-9)
Condor & Leslieville Wild Rose School Division David Thompson solution modernization/replacement
*Edmonton – south east Edmonton Public Schools new high school (10-12)
Edmonton – Windermere-Keswick Edmonton Public Schools new elementary/junior high (K-9)
*Edmonton – Heritage Valley Town Centre Edmonton Catholic Schools new high school (10-12)
Edmonton – Windermere/Keswick Edmonton Catholic Schools new elementary/junior high (K-9)
*Fort Chipewyan Northland School Division Athabasca Delta School modernization/replacement
*Grande Prairie Peace Wapiti School Division Harry Balfour School replacement
*Langdon Rocky View Schools new junior/senior high school (7-12)
*Leduc Black Gold School Division new high school (10-12)
Legal Conseil scolaire Centre Nord(Greater North Central Francophone Education Region) new elementary/junior high school (K-9)
Morinville Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools Morinville Community High School CTS modernization
Morrin Prairie Land School Division Morrin School replacement
Peace River Conseil Scolaire du Nord-Ouest(Northwest Francophone Education Region) École des Quatre-Vents replacement
*Red Deer Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools new middle school (6-9)
Smoky Lake Aspen View Public Schools H.A. Kostash replacement
*St. Albert St. Albert Public Schools Bellerose Composite High School addition & modernization
Whitecourt Living Waters Catholic Schools new elementary school (K-3)

*Design funding

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

Follow Author

Alberta

Made in Alberta! Province makes it easier to support local products with Buy Local program

Published on

Show your Alberta side. Buy Local.

When the going gets tough, Albertans stick together. That’s why Alberta’s government is launching a new campaign to benefit hard-working Albertans.

Global uncertainty is threatening the livelihoods of hard-working Alberta farmers, ranchers, processors and their families. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.

The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

“It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.

Quick facts

  • This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food.
  • In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
  • Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.
  • Made in Alberta product catalogue website

 

Related information

Continue Reading

Alberta

Province to expand services provided by Alberta Sheriffs: New policing option for municipalities

Published on

Expanding municipal police service options

Proposed amendments would help ensure Alberta’s evolving public safety needs are met while also giving municipalities more options for local policing.

As first announced with the introduction of the Public Safety Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, Alberta’s government is considering creating a new independent agency police service to assume the police-like duties currently performed by Alberta Sheriffs. If passed, Bill 49 would lay additional groundwork for the new police service.

Proposed amendments to the Police Act recognize the unique challenges faced by different communities and seek to empower local governments to adopt strategies that effectively respond to their specific safety concerns, enhancing overall public safety across the province.

If passed, Bill 49 would specify that the new agency would be a Crown corporation with an independent board of directors to oversee its day-to-day operations. The new agency would be operationally independent from the government, consistent with all police services in Alberta. Unlike the Alberta Sheriffs, officers in the new police service would be directly employed by the police service rather than by the government.

“With this bill, we are taking the necessary steps to address the unique public safety concerns in communities across Alberta. As we work towards creating an independent agency police service, we are providing an essential component of Alberta’s police framework for years to come. Our aim is for the new agency is to ensure that Albertans are safe in their communities and receive the best possible service when they need it most.”

Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services

Additional amendments would allow municipalities to select the new agency as their local police service once it becomes fully operational and the necessary standards, capacity and frameworks are in place. Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring the new agency works collaboratively with all police services to meet the province’s evolving public safety needs and improve law enforcement response times, particularly in rural communities. While the RCMP would remain the official provincial police service, municipalities would have a new option for their local policing needs.

Once established, the agency would strengthen Alberta’s existing policing model and complement the province’s current police services, which include the RCMP, Indigenous police services and municipal police. It would help fill gaps and ensure law enforcement resources are deployed efficiently across the province.

Related information

Continue Reading

Trending

X