The Alberta government — for the first time — will partially fund the construction and expansion of independent schools in an attempt to create more student spaces.

The Independent School Capital program, proposed in the 2026 provincial budget, intends to dedicate $90 million over three years to spaces for 6,000 more students in non-profit K-12 private schools.

“We have to work with every single one of our education partners to expand spaces as quickly as we can,” Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said in an interview on Friday.

Many Alberta schools are strained by remarkable population growth in the province. Provincial data show nearly 90,000 more pupils are enrolled in K-12 schools this school year compared to five years ago — an increase of 12 per cent.

Alberta’s United Conservative government has also committed to spending $8.6 billion over seven years to build 90 new schools in the public, Catholic and francophone systems. The funding will also double the space for students in charter schools.

Nicolaides said although the independent schools may add a fraction of the total space needed, Albertans expect the government to consider all options to tackle crowded classrooms.

“Every single additional classroom we can create means a less crowded environment somewhere else,” he said.

Independent schools approved for capital funding will receive up to $10 million for renovations, new builds, expansions, modular classrooms or other changes that increase student space, according to the program page. They cannot use the money to buy land or fund operating costs.

Schools that have been running for more than three years will have to match the government funds at a two-to-one ratio, and new schools will have to provide four times as much money to match government funding.

Schools focused on students with disabilities will be prioritized, Nicolaides said.

He said government lawyers are drafting agreements that “will ensure that the taxpayer investment is protected and can be recuperated if necessary.”

Although the province is accepting applications for funding until the end of May, Nicolaides said Renfrew Educational Services, which is building a pre-kindergarten to Grade 12 school near Calgary for students with exceptional needs, is the first $10-million grant recipient.

John Jagersma, executive director of the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges in Alberta, said he hopes the government will consider awarding smaller grants to a larger number of independent schools. He said the funding could serve as seed money to help schools build momentum for fundraising campaigns and improve their ability to borrow.

Independent school enrolment is growing as Alberta’s diverse population increases demand for schools with a specific religious or cultural focus, he said. 

“There’s pressure from parents who are in your community who want their children to go to your school, but you just don’t have the physical space for them,” Jagersma said.

Of AISCA’s more than 200 members, Jagersma said he knows of about 20 schools that are planning or constructing new spaces already.

Critics question public benefit of independent schools

Public funding destined for independent schools is a divisive issue in the province.

Alberta’s government funds students enrolled in independent schools at 70 per cent of the rate of a public student, which is the highest level in the country.

Frustrations about funding to public schools failing to keep pace with inflation and population growth was a major factor leading to last year’s provincewide strike involving 51,000 teachers.

Choosing to divert money to independent school capital projects at a time the government is facing a deficit budget is baffling, said Wing Li, communications director for Support Our Students (SOS) Alberta, a public education advocacy organization.

“We find it egregious,” Li said. “When you look at the tale of two systems, the public system needs resources.”

The provincial government said because it costs the treasury less to fund the education of an independent school student, it anticipates breaking even on the school expansions within seven years.

However, Li said the money could be paying for assets the public does not own or can’t access. She said she thinks once public funding of independent school construction is normalized, the government may expand the practice.

She said the public school system should be funded adequately to serve students with disabilities so they don’t feel compelled to turn to private options.

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said on Friday that the province is now an outlier in Canada for this type of expense. He said he believes that the program should be “alarming to all Albertans,” while the public system is so underfunded.

“The fact that we’re spending public dollars on private schools makes no sense,” he said.