Banner | Board of Trustees

Advocacy Priorities

Advocacy Priorities Ongoing Need for Learning Spaces

Ongoing Need for Learning Spaces


Most CBE schools are full. New schools are still needed.

  • Enrolment to increase by 8,360 students to 150,763 by 2030.
  • Currently, 166 of our 251 schools (nearly 70%) are full or over capacity. The system utilization rate is 95%.  High schools are already at 107% capacity.
  • Within the next ten years, a total of 179 CBE schools (over 70%) will exceed the standard 50-year design life. Ongoing modernization and replacement projects are essential to ensure safe, efficient and future ready learning environments. 

More investment in learning spaces is needed across every quadrant of Calgary.

In the 2027-30 Three-Year School Capital Plan, the CBE is requesting 27 projects including 21 new schools, one addition, two replacement schools, two modernizations and one solution project to support two aging elementary schools in NW Calgary.

 

Approved Construction Projects

Currently, 26 projects are approved including 22 new schools, 2 replacements, 1 modernization and 1 addition. Evanston Heights is one of the new schools.

Even with 26 projects approved, it takes several years for new schools to be built. The system utilization rate is still projected to remain at 89% by 2030, well above the optimal rate of 85% set by the Alberta government.

Once construction begins, we share regular updates through the Co​nstruction Projects Status Report. As a new school nears completion, families impacted by the opening will start receiving more detailed information. All updates are posted on​ Building and Modernizing Schools.

How does the CBE plan f​​or new schools and modernized spaces?

Each year, school boards subm​it a plan to Alberta Education that identifies the top priorities for new schools and major modernizations. Our priorities are identified by considering population data, educational need, school condition, community demographics, school enrolment, transportation times and the overall economic and growth outlook for Calgary. Alberta Education receives about 400 capital requests annually from school boards across the province.​

Short Term Solutions to the Spa​ce Crunch

  • Every available space in schools is used. School administration looks to make the best use of other spaces such as learning commons, stages and music rooms for classroom spaces. 
  • Some students are being overflowed to other schools with more space. When a school reaches capacity, new registrations are capped and students who live in the community must be overflowed to another school in a different community with available space. Currently, 31 schools are in “overflow”. 
  • Modular classrooms provide short-term solutions to the space crunch. In fall 2025, CBE requested 64 modular classrooms​. On March 24, 2026, we received approval for up to 46 modular classrooms adding 1,100+ learning spaces across 10 schools, nearly the equivalent of two elementary schools. This means since 2024, CBE has received 114 new modulars – representing 2850 learning spaces across Calgary.  Prairie Sky School, which opened in 2023, recently received seven modulars.

Learn more about Building and Modernizing Schools​.  

Current Priorities

​2027-30 Capital Plan Requests
Year 1 R​​equests
  1. ​Belmont/West Macleod High School^^
  2. Legacy Elementary^
  3. Livingston Middle^
  4. Seton Middle
  5. Belmont Elementary
  6. Carrington Middle^
  7. Pine Creek Elementary^
  8. Glacier Ridge Elementary^
Other Year 1 Requests

M - Crescent Heights High School – Modernization
R - Spruce Cliff School – Replacement
A - Nelson Mandela High School – Addition
M - Dr. Oakley School – Modernization
S Bowcroft/Belvedere Parkway Schools – Solution
​
Year 2 Req​uests​​​​
  1. Glacier Ridge High School^^
  2. Livingston High School^^
  3. Seton Elementary^^
  4. Walden/Wolf Willow K-9^^
  5. Yorkville Elementary^
  6. Cornerstone Middle
  7. Rangeview Elementary^
  8. Pine Creek Middle^
  9. Glacier Ridge Middle^
Other Year 2 Requests

R - William Aberhart High School – Replacement School

Year 3 Requests
  1. Yorkville Middle^
  2. Alpine Park Elementary^^
  3. Hotchkiss Elementary^^
  4. Alpine Park Middle^^
 ​

Site Readiness*

Currently, 8 of the top 10 new school projects are not site ready including three high school sites.

We are working closely with the City of Calgary and developers to ensure the conditions for site readiness are met so these projects are ready for approval.

^ anticipated to be site ready within 1 year
^^ anticipated to be ready within 5 years

Ongoing Need for Learning Spaces​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Contact Us
​Office of the Board of Trustees

t | 403-817-7933

 

Supporting Documents

Co​n​​​tact ​​Your MLA

We encourage you to share any concerns you may have with your ML​A. Find your MLA using the Legislative Assembly of Alberta​ tool. ​​​​​​​​

 
Last modified: 4/17/2026 1:39 PM
Website feedback: Webmaster ^