Calgary’s population boom in the last five years has naturally filled schools to the brim.

In response, the province has made numerous new school announcements, some of which have lower energy standards to save time, and others with higher enrolment projections than originally thought.

One thing that hasn’t been as widely discussed is the impact that high traffic is (and will continue) having on existing city infrastructure.

The site of the upcoming Cornerstone High School was designed to accommodate an occupancy of 1,500 – 1,800 students at the subdivision stage, according to a City of Calgary briefing note in the June 9 city council agenda.

However, the development permit for the project was submitted with a proposed student occupancy of 2,400, a 37 per cent increase. 

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) declined LWC’s request for an interview. A CBE-issued statement cited community densification as the reason for the increase.

Upgrades to intersections, sidewalk connections, pedestrian crossings, and transit-related enhancements, all to support the increased traffic in the area, are expected to run between $2-3 million, roughly three per cent of the school’s total estimated construction value.

Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal said that from his perspective, the developer, in this case Alberta Infrastructure, should pay for infrastructure upgrades, something that is consistent with the briefing.

“It is expected that additional provincial funding will cover the costs of required infrastructure upgrades,” it reads.

At this stage, the province footing the bill for Cornerstone’s sidewalks is still an assumption. A point from later in the report says that taxpayers could be on the hook.

“If the Province cannot secure the funding for the required infrastructure to serve the school development, there is a risk that additional financial pressures may be placed on The City, with potential implications for taxpayers,” it reads.

Dhaliwal hopes taxpayers will not have to pay for these upgrades, he said.

“In my opinion, this is a strictly unnecessary demand that, for a few million dollars, we are not coming to an agreement,” he told LWC.

Alex Cattran, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Infrastructure, said that Alberta Infrastructure is working closely with The City of Calgary, school boards and other partners to address infrastructure needs in a practical and sustainable manner.

“Alberta’s Government made it a priority to build more schools to address classroom crowding and complexity due to population growth, ensuring students have access to modern learning environments. We would encourage all our municipal partners to listen to their constituents who have been clear that school construction is a priority,” he said in a statement.

“Discussions with the City of Calgary are ongoing regarding infrastructure requirements and how best to support safe and functional school sites. Alberta’s Government remains committed to working with municipal partners to align delivery and meet the needs of growing communities.”

City eyeing phased construction in Cornerstone 

To address the infrastructure gap created by the Cornerstone High School’s projected school occupancy increase, the City of Calgary is pursuing a phased approval model. 

Through the phased model, schools, Cornerstone High School in this case, would be allowed to proceed through permitting and construction based on existing approved infrastructure thresholds.

Additional infrastructure upgrades would then be necessary as school populations increase toward full build-out capacity.

In their statement, the CBE said that they share the goal of the timely construction of new schools with the city.

“The construction of new schools requires coordinated effort between the Calgary Board of Education, local and provincial governments, and with developers to ensure conditions for site readiness are met in a timely way to not slow down approvals,” it reads.

When asked what his constituents in Cornerstone may think about the school opening with potentially out-of-date infrastructure, Dhaliwal said that safety is his top priority, especially when discussing schools.

“I’m a father, both my kids go to school, and the safety of our kids is most important to me, especially given that last year we had record high pedestrian fatalities in this city,” he said.

“It’s even more important to make sure we manage the safety in a timely fashion, so I’m (actively) talking to Cornerstone residents.”

CCSD feeling enrolment burden

As with their neighbour school board, the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) is also feeling the burden of heightened enrolment. 

CCSD also declined LWC’s request for an interview. A district-issued statement said that by 2030, school utilization is projected to exceed 100 per cent, even with currently announced school projects.

“CCSD appreciates recent provincial investments in school infrastructure and recognizes the importance of strong coordination between the Province, the City of Calgary, and school boards to ensure new schools can be delivered on time and safely serve growing communities,” the statement reads.

“As Calgary and the surrounding communities we serve continue to grow, timely school construction remains critical. We continue to advocate for greater clarity around project prioritization, timelines and funding commitments, as many approved school projects remain years away from opening.”

The district also supports efforts to ensure the infrastructure needed to support new schools, including roads, sidewalks, crossings and transit connections, is delivered alongside school construction, they said.