More classroom spaces on the way
July 30, 2025
Alberta’s government continues to invest in more school spaces now with the 2025-26 school year on the horizon.
To support schools in managing the growing number of students, Alberta’s government is investing $50 million to add 62 pre-made classrooms this fall. Through previous Budget 2025 commitments, a total $100 million will deliver 109 new modular classrooms, creating space for 2,725 students and relocating 575 more.
“Alberta’s government is moving quickly to build new schools and create more classroom spaces, so our students continue to have room to grow and thrive. This additional funding for modular classrooms will help us get much-needed spaces to some of our busiest schools, while we work as quickly as possible to open the doors to more than 130 school projects underway in the province.”
Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education and Childcare
“Rocky View Schools welcomes these additional modular classrooms to help ease current enrolment pressures while we await completion of the seven much-needed new schools approved in budgets 2024 and 2025. RVS has experienced years of unprecedented enrolment growth and appreciates the Government of Alberta’s recognition of the urgent need for more student spaces in our fast-growing communities. We remain committed to working with the government to ensure new school and modular approvals keep pace with student enrolment growth across RVS.”
Fiona Gilbert, board chair, Rocky View Schools
Alberta’s government is also providing $1 million in planning funding to advance four new charter school projects. The funds are being provided to New Horizons Charter Academy, New Humble Community School, Suzuki Charter School and Thrive Charter School to finalize planning details such as programming needs and the size and type of classrooms needed in each school. When completed, these new charter schools will contribute more than 2,400 new or updated student spaces.
“The Thrive Charter School Society is excited about this opportunity to advance efforts in addressing opportunity gaps for students in Edmonton. This investment paves the way to serve more students and their families with the programming and supports necessary to truly thrive.”
Michael Hladun, vice-chair, Thrive Charter School Society
Alberta’s government is looking to the future by providing $610,000 in pre-planning funding for 13 potential future school projects. Pre-planning funding helps school boards begin planning for school projects they believe will become priorities within the next three to five years. Examples of pre-planning activities include project scoping and community engagement and outreach. Although it is an important first step, pre-planning funding does not guarantee a school project will be built.
These investments in modulars and school planning are all part of the province’s Schools Now program, which includes a generational investment of $8.6 billion to build and update more than 100 schools across the province and create more classroom spaces now. Over seven years, Schools Now will create more than 200,000 student spaces, helping school boards manage class sizes and bringing learning closer to home for more Alberta students and families.
Quick facts
- Alberta’s student population rose from about 735,000 in 2020-21 to nearly 826,000 in 2024-25 – and counting.
- The most recent $50-million investment supports the purchase of 62 modular classrooms, three washroom units and the relocation of four units.
- The pre-made classrooms will start to be manufactured this summer and will be installed throughout the 2025-26 school year.
- The $50 million invested in modular classrooms earlier in the year supported the purchase of 47 new modular classrooms, three washroom units and 19 relocations.
- With the addition of four new charter school projects, there are now seven charter school projects underway in Alberta. When complete, these projects will contribute more than 4,400 student spaces.
- The province also invested $140 million towards modular classrooms in 2024.?
2025-26 Modular Classroom Program in-year approvals ($50 million)
| School boards | New modulars | Relocations | Demolitions |
| Black Gold School Division | 4 | – | 4 |
| Calgary Board of Education | 13 | – | – |
| Calgary Catholic School District | 4 | 4 | – |
| Chinook’s Edge School Division | 2 | – | – |
| Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools | 1 | – | – |
| Connect Charter School | 1 | – | – |
| Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord | 2 + 1 washroom | – | – |
| Edmonton Catholic Schools | 2 + 1 washroom | – | |
| Edmonton Public Schools | 11 | – | – |
| Elk Island Public Schools | 2 | – | – |
| Fort McMurray Public School Division | 2 | – | – |
| Fort McMurray Catholic Schools | 3 | – | – |
| Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools | – | – | 14 |
| Lethbridge School Division | 1 | – | – |
| Parkland School Division | 3 | – | – |
| Rocky View Schools | 5 | – | – |
| St. Albert Public Schools | 4 | – | 4 |
| St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Schools | 2 + 1 washroom | – | – |
| Total | 62 classrooms + 3 washroom units | 4 | 22 |
Planning funding (4 projects):
| Community | Charter school |
| Edmonton (2) | Suzuki Charter School |
| Thrive Charter School | |
| Leduc County | New Humble Community School |
| Sherwood Park | New Horizons School |
Pre-planning funding (13 projects):
| Community | School board |
| Blackfoot/Kitscoty | Buffalo Trail Public Schools |
| Calgary | Connect Charter School |
| Edmonton (4) | Edmonton Catholic Schools |
| Edmonton Public Schools (2) | |
| STEM Collegiate Canada | |
| Fort Saskatchewan | Elk Island Public Schools |
| Lacombe | Wolf Creek Public Schools |
| Okotoks | Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools |
| Oyen | Prairie Rose School Division |
| Paddle Prairie | Northland School Division |
| Red Deer | Red Deer Public Schools |
| Stettler | East Central Catholic Schools |
Related information
Related news
- Fast-tracking more school projects (May 21, 2025)
Money for school project planning (April 4, 2025)