The Capital Plan for 2026 to 2029 for Chinook’s Edge School Division includes an urgent request for a new Grade 10-12 high school in Sylvan Lake.
Devin Dreeshen – the MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake and Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors – knows it is CESD’s number one priority but, unfortunately, Budget 2025 doesn’t include any funding for the design work for a new school in Sylvan Lake. He says “it is something that I will be advocating for, for next budget to make sure we can see the design work for a new school in Sylvan Lake but the Penhold school construction is progressing on schedule. People and kids in the Penhold area are going to be able to benefit from that very soon which is great for central Alberta.”
According to CESD, the population in Sylvan Lake has increased by 17 per cent in a 10-year period. The Board of Trustees approved the Capital Plan at Tuesday’s meeting and it is submitted to Alberta Infrastructure for consideration.
Other requested school building and renovation projects that are on the top five list of priorities in the Capital Plan for Chinook’s Edge are the modernization of Innisfail High School at number two, a new elementary school in Olds at number three, followed by a new middle school in Carstairs or modernization of Hugh Sutherland School at number four. At number five is a new K-8 school in Liberty Landing (Gasoline Alley) in Red Deer at number 5.
Alberta’s Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides is slated to be in Edmonton on Wednesday, March 12th to share more information about – if passed – how Budget 2025 will support enrolment growth in the province and add resources for classrooms.
