Funding for school construction and education resources

Education is a function and responsibility of the Provincial government. Decisions around funding for the construction of schools and school resources is made at the Provincial level. Municipalities are required to provide the land for school sites.

The City of Airdrie, along with local school divisions, advocate on behalf of residents and students for new schools and for more funding to be allocated to our community. 

The City also collects the Provincial Education Requisition (the education tax portion of your annual property tax bill) on behalf of the province. This year alone, residents of Airdrie will contribute over $40 million dollars for school operational funding in Alberta.

In the 2024 Provincial Budget, the Government of Alberta allocated funding for three school projects in Airdrie:

• Construction funding for a new public K-8 school in Bayview
• Construction funding for a public K-8 school in South Windsong (This project received design funding in the 2023 Alberta budget.)
• Design funding for a much needed, new public high school (This project received planning funding in the 2023 Alberta budget.)

It’s important to note that planning and design dollars are pre-steps for allocating funding for the construction of new schools. The need for more schools in Airdrie exists now, and it takes 3-5 years to build a new school.

In September 2024, the Province announced an additional $8.6 billion over the next seven years to build as many as 30 new schools and create 200,000 more student spaces across the province. City Council and Administration are working hard for new schools to be announced in Airdrie.

Modular classrooms also help relieve space pressures within existing schools and significant funding ($103 million) was allocated towards this type of support for schools. Information on what school divisions will receive modular classrooms has not yet been released. Rocky View Schools requested eight modular classrooms for Airdrie schools in 2024.

• In just the Rocky View Schools (RVS) in Airdrie there will be 1,480 more high school students than spaces, by 2028. In grades K-8, there will be 465 more students than spaces available.
• RVS welcomed 499 new students in Airdrie this year.
• 2014 was the last time a high school was opened in Airdrie when our population was 54,891.
• The utilization rate of all Airdrie high schools - including all school divisions in the City is 104% (RVS high schools alone are 110% utilized.)
• Airdrie has seven serviced school sites ready for construction. Two additional sites will be serviced within the next 6-12 months.

Rocky View School Division Airdrie Schools Space Needs (pdf)

The Province provides ongoing support and funding for the operations of Airdrie’s schools. This chart outlines the years that Airdrie was allocated capital funding for school construction, upgrades or pre-construction work.

The need exists now, and it takes time to build. St. Martin de Porres high school is undergoing a large modernization project. No new schools are currently under construction in Airdrie.

Our voices are louder together and by working together, we can generate positive change in our community.