Despite nearly $6 million in provincial funding for Calgary’s public school safety, CCSD Trustee Steve Chapman thinks further investment is needed.
Over the past two months, after the tragedy that occurred in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., Alberta Education and Childcare undertook a province-wide safety review, including opportunities for engagement with school authorities to identify gaps in physical security and safety preparedness.
Based on the review, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) will be getting $3.98 million, and the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) will be receiving $1.8 million. The one-time payments will go to upgrading safety measures, including physical infrastructure and staff preparedness.
During the April 22 CCSD Board of Trustees meeting, CCSD Trustee Steve Chapman, who is a former police officer, called the incoming funding a fraction of what is needed to standardize widespread safety measures.
“(Increased safety) is certainly something that I brought up before; it’s needed. My look at our school system, personally, I saw a $25 million deficit in security just to get to the baseline, nothing fancy, so 1.8 doesn’t cover a lot,” he said during the meeting.
“I’m a strong supporter of spending money in this particular regard, and even though it doesn’t produce immediate results, I certainly do caution the board that this is a drop in the bucket to what we actually need, and there’s a big difference between proactive defensiveness and recording the event after the fact for prosecution.”
Though Chapman’s estimated need of $25 million is lofty, he said it’s one of the most important investments a school district can make.
When asked, neither the CBE nor the CCSD could detail how and where their funding will be allocated, including specific school upgrades, as of April 22.
For both the CBE and CCSD, up to 10 per cent of the government cash can be put towards school leaders’ safety training. A minimum of 50 per cent—and up to 100 per cent—is to be put into Category 1 upgrades, which include locks, door hardware, and security cameras.
Up to 50 per cent of the funding is earmarked for Category 2 upgrades, including intercom and public announcement systems, exterior lighting, cell boosters, window coverings, and window frosting or coverings.
The one-time funding cannot be put towards capital construction or major renovations, but could be carried forward into the 2026–2027 school year. Districts must provide an interim report in fall 2026 and a final report in fall 2027, detailing their chosen allocation.
Creating school standards for safety
As of now, the CCSD is aiming to create standardized security measures through increased funding, according to Brad MacDonald Superintendent, Support Services.
“In general, the administration’s approach will be to conduct a thorough analysis of our security measures district-wide, and then tinker around with our baseline security level at all of our schools, rather than implement targeted and strategic upgrades at specific schools,” he said during the meeting.
“We’re going to raise the bar for all schools to one consistent standard district-wide.”
Across the district, many schools already have security camera systems and locked door policies in place.
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) told LWC the funding will lead to staff training and upgrades, as outlined by the province.
“The CBE will receive a grant of $3.98 million. Our funds will be used for staff training and upgrades, as outlined by the province,” a CBE-issued statement read.
“CBE schools operate under Administrative Regulation 3021 – School Emergency Practices and Procedures, which applies to all schools across the system. We remain committed to regularly reviewing our safety procedures, strengthening our practices where needed, and working collaboratively with provincial and community partners to ensure schools remain safe, supportive places for learning.”
Details on how the funds will be specifically allocated and which schools will be receiving security upgrades were not provided.
Chapman said that, similar to preparing for other emergencies, a cost-effective way to prepare for in-school danger is communication and acceptance.
“Getting people education in terms of best practices for security is huge, and that’s actually a relatively low-cost way we can build awareness that these things need to be done. That alone can make a huge difference,” he said.
“Complacency is always our biggest challenge when I dealt with security issues in the community.”
