Planning funds announced for 10 new schools in Edmonton

The Alberta government’s 2026 budget contains $44-million in funds for 10 new school projects in Edmonton and the locations of where the schools will eventually be built were released on Monday.

The province says the funds will support planning for eight new schools and two replacement schools — a move aimed at easing pressure on classrooms that have already been operating over capacity.

On Monday, the province announced Edmonton Public Schools has been approved for four projects, while Edmonton Catholic Schools and the francophone Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord will each receive funding for two new schools and one replacement school.

All of the funds announced this year are for planning and design work, which the province says builds on the 27 previously announced projects that are currently underway in Edmonton.

New schools across growing neighbourhoods

Edmonton Public Schools will get three K–9 schools in growing neighbourhoods: Aster in the southeast and Rivers Edge and Stillwater in the west end, along with a new K–6 school in Crystallina Nera in the northeast.

Edmonton Catholic Schools will receive funding for a new southwest high school in the Windermere–Glenridding Heights area and a K–9 school in Kirkness, the city’s northeast Clareview area.

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The province says the Edmonton projects will create more than 8,400 student spaces.

They are part of 40 school projects announced across Alberta in the 2026 budget and the province said overall, there are 161 active school projects underway across Alberta.

The province said the cost of the schools being built won’t be released until after construction contracts are signed.

Timelines for when the schools will be built or open are not yet set.

Full list of the new schools:

Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord

1. École Jean-Claude Mahé replacement — Planning funding
2. New ECS-6 in southwest Edmonton — Planning funding
3. New K-6 in north Edmonton — Planning funding

Edmonton Catholic Schools

1. New high school in Windermere/Glenridding Heights — Planning funding
2. New K-9 in Kirkness — Planning funding
3. 118 Avenue-West solution/replacement school at St. Alphonsus School site — Planning funding

Edmonton Public Schools

1. New K-9 in Aster — Design funding
2. New K-6 in Crystallina Nera — Planning funding
3. New K-9 in River’s Edge — Planning funding
4. New K-9 in Stillwater — Design funding

Addressing rapid enrolment growth

Alberta’s student population has grown by 80,000 over the past three years, according to the government. Sixteen new schools are expected to be completed this year.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the new projects are part of a broader effort to keep pace with demand.

“I’m confident these new spaces will help address the pressure,” he said. “There’s still more that needs to be done. That’s why we have 161 projects underway across the province.”

Edmonton Catholic Schools says many of its buildings are already stretched beyond their limits.

“Nearly half of our schools are operating beyond their intended capacity, even after adding 39 modulars,” said Edmonton Catholic Schools board chair Sandra Palazzo.

“Many of our schools are overcrowded. These schools simply do not have the space to support further growth.”

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The province says some of the newly funded schools could take up to five years to complete before they are ready to welcome students.