Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is expected to announce her government's plan to help K-12 classrooms being squeezed by an influx of new families. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

By Eli J. Ridder, Canadian Press

Alberta premier calls for stricter immigration, reveals $8.6B education boost

Sep 17, 2024 | 7:34 PM

Premier Danielle Smith called on the federal government tighten “unrestricted” immigration policies on Tuesday as she revealed a new multi-billion-dollar investment to fast-track new school builds across Alberta.

In a primetime televised address, Smith said Alberta has “always welcomed newcomers who possess our shared values, and we will continue to do so.”

Many new Albertans are attracted by low taxes a strong employment market across various sectors, including energy agriculture and technology.

That growth has strained the province’s housing supply as well as its health care and education systems and Canada’s high immigration levels aren’t helping, Smith argued.

“The Trudeau government’s unrestrained open border policies, permitting well over a million newcomers each year into Canada, is causing significant challenges,” Smith said.

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With Justin Trudeau’s minority government on the edge of toppling, Smith said she would support a government that would bring in immigration controls matching those under the last Conservative prime minister.

“I am joining with other premiers across our country in calling on the current federal government to immediately reintroduce sensible and restrained immigration policies similar to levels we saw under Stephen Harper,” the premier said.

“So that all provinces have some time and resources to sustainably catch up with growth and to ensure those coming here are closely aligned with our country’s economic needs and our core values,” she added.

“And if the current federal government won’t make these changes, our government will certainly support anyone that will.”

The premier revealed her cabinet has approved a $8.6-billion investment to help tackle Alberta’s overwhelmed education sector.

That includes funding for new school projects in Redcliff and Taber, among others. CHAT News has requested comment from Prairie Rose Public Schools.

Smith said the province’s existing education budget isn’t enough to keep up with rapid population growth in kindergarten to Grade 12 schools.

“This is quite literally the fastest and largest build our province can manage given available construction workforce capacity and the time it takes to permit, prepare and service available school sites,” said Smith.

The province’s population grew by more than 200,000 people in the last fiscal year.

The premier said often the only thing holding back the cash is school boards getting projects ready for construction.

“If you can prepare the sites, the province will have the dollars set aside to get shovels in the ground,” said Smith.

The government is changing the process of approving construction funding so school boards don’t need to wait every year for the next budget cycle to get the go-ahead.

Previously approved school projects that are now in the planning and design stages could move forward to the next stage as soon as they are ready.

Smith’s announcement comes as the province’s two largest divisions, Edmonton Public Schools and the Calgary Board of Education, say their schools are expected to have a utilization rate of well over 90 per cent this school year, with some schools hitting capacity.

Budget 2024 earmarked $1.9 billion in capital funding over the next three years for planning, design or construction of new and modernized school projects across the province.

In the summer, the government promised an extra $215 million for school boards, including $90 million towards 100 more modular classrooms that are expected to be delivered by the end of the calendar year.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides told The Canadian Press that yearly budget numbers will vary under the new plan because different projects will be able to move forward at different times, but it will mean schools get built as quickly as possible.

“That (new) process will help make sure that it doesn’t take five, six years for schools to get built,” he said.

Smith said she expects the construction could lead to about 50,000 new student spaces over the next three years, and 12,500 new charter school student spaces over the next four years.

Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi hailed the Alberta government’s education investment “generational” after Smith’s address.

However, he said the ruling United Conservatives are reacting to a crisis they should have already seen coming.

“They careen like a pinball from crisis to crisis, they wait until the leak is flooding the basement to try and close the leak and they stick their hand in it, not looking where the water is going,” he said.

Tuesday was the third major television address that Smith has done since becoming premier.

The premier announced inflation relief payments in an address in 2022. In February, she revealed a plan to grow the heritage trust fund.