HomeMy WebLinkAboutCalgary School boards call for predictable funding for capital projects - Metro Ottawa - 03/15/2017 - Metro Ottawa - 03/15/20173/16/2017 Calgary School boards call for predictable funding for capital projects
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Calgary School l boards call folr 1predictable funding folr capital projects
The CBE and CCSD said if they don't receive funding for new schools and modernizations their utilization
rates will skyrocket
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By: Illi tuitddliieIII''''''!td aurt frim Metro, Published on Wed Mar 15 2017
Calgary school boards are hoping the upcoming provincial budget will provide "stable and predictable"
funding of new construction and modernizations.
The Calgary Board of Education superintendent of facilities, Dany Breton, said as the city continues to
grow so does student enrolment (2,000 new students joined CBE last year).
"It's that predictability—so that we're not going through a time like we've just lived this past school year
where we had to produce 20 new schools and modernizations in one year," he said. "Certainly that
increases the challenges for orchestrating such a large undertaking."
These new learning spaces in the CBE have brought the overall system utilization rate to 82 per cent for
the 2016-17 school year, said Breton.
However, the CBE forecasts an enrollment increase in the next five years from our current 119,147
students to 130,404 students.
"If there were to be no new schools announced for the CBE, then according to our projection we anticipate
that by September of 2021 our utilization rates will be back up to the high rates they were at last year," he
said. "That means 87 per cent utilization across the system with some at 100 per cent and others well
above."
Capacity is also an issue the Calgary Catholic School District hopes to see addressed in this budget.
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3/16/2017
Calgary School boards call for predictable funding for capital projects
"Although we have new schools in development, we will continue to face significant capacity issues and we
will continue to need space to accommodate student growth," said CSSD board chair Cheryl Low.
She said this level of demand is clearly reflected in the recent 2017-2020 CCSD Capital Plan submission.
"In order to meet the needs of our growing population, both new school projects and modernizations need
to continue to take place to address our current and future needs," said Low.
The CCSD said they are currently at a 93 per cent utilization rate in their schools—while full is considered
85 per cent—and it's anticipated that CCSD will grow by an additional 5,000 students by 2021.
In the first year of their three-year capital plans the CBE has asked for eight new schools and four
modernizations. The CCSD has asked for four modernizations and three new schools.
Sources told The Canadian Press Wednesday that the budget provincial budget will fund 10 new schools
as well as nine replacement schools and seven modernizations across 15 municipalities.
CBE Capital Plan new build priorities
1. Cranston Elementary: $14,238,000
2. Coventry Hills/Country Hills Village Elementary: $14,238,000
3. Mahogany Elementary: $14,238,000
CBE Capital Plan modernization priorities
1. Forest Lawn High School: $24,000,000
2. John G. Diefenbaker High School: $18,000,000
CCSD Capital Plan new build priorities
1. Airdrie Elementary Core School + 16 modulars: $20,104,379.40
2. Auburn Bay Elementary School, core + 12 modulars: $15,813,130.68
3. Evanston Elementary School, core + 12 modulars: $15,813,130.68
CCSD Capital Plan modernization priorities
1. St. Bonaventure School Modernization (SE): $9,837,528.71
2. St. Boniface School Modernization (SE): $4,893,389.25
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