The province has announced that construction is complete on five public-private partnership (P3) high schools, opening doors to new classrooms for over 6,900 students across Alberta this fall; and this P3 bundle of five high schools also includes a Rocky View School Division school - the Horseshoe Crossing High School in Langdon.

Procurement is also underway to deliver another bundle of seven new Alberta schools using a P3.

"Once opened, these new schools located in Airdrie, Blackfalds, Calgary, Chestermere, Okotoks and two in Edmonton will create over 7,000 spaces for Alberta students."

According to the province, a shortlist of two proponents, qualifying from the Request for Qualifications stage, which closed on April 29, have been invited to participate in the Request for Proposals stage.

A contract with the successful proponent is anticipated to be in place in early 2025, with construction beginning by that summer. The P3 bundle of seven schools also includes a K-8 school in Airdrie's southwest, a K-9 school in Chestermere, which is part of the Calgary Catholic School District, as well as a K-9 school, which is a replacement of K-6 École Good Shepherd in Okotoks, Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools.

Previously, it was announced through the provincial 2024 budget, that the province would fund:

  • Full construction funding for an Airdrie Kindergarten – Grade 8 school (South Windsong)
  • Full construction funding for an Airdrie Kindergarten – Grade 8 school (Bayview)
  • Full construction funding for a Cochrane Kindergarten – Grade 8 school (Rivercrest)

As well as design funding for:

  • Airdrie High School (Southwinds)
  • A Chestermere Kindergarten – Grade 9 school (Dawson’s Landing)

Other schools within the upcoming P3 bundle include:

  • K-5 school in Blackfalds, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools
  • K-9 school in Calgary Nolan Hill, Calgary Catholic School District
  • K-9 school in Edmonton Edgemont, Edmonton Public Schools
  • Grade 7-12 school in Edmonton Glenridding Heights, Edmonton Public Schools

According to the province, through this latest P3 build, Alberta’s government saved $114.5 million to deliver these much-needed high schools located in Blackfalds, Langdon, Leduc and two in Edmonton.

"These savings are based on the cost compared to delivering the high schools using other methods. This P3 project also injected millions of dollars into these local communities and supported about 1,700 construction-related jobs."

MLA for Airdrie-Cochrane and current Minister of Infrastructure, Peter Guthrie, said that  P3 builds represent the government's commitment to ensuring schools are built, and Alberta taxpayers get the best value for their investment.

"I cannot wait for students to enjoy their new spaces," he said.

In 2021, following the competitive procurement process, Concert-Bird Partners was awarded the contract for the P3 bundle of five high schools. They presented the lowest bid price of $300.3 million net present value (NPV).

"We are proud of the strong, collaborative partnership between Concert-Bird Partners and the Government of Alberta, which enabled the on-time, on-budget delivery of these five high schools. Their successful completion underscores the P3 model's effectiveness in delivering critical public infrastructure, creating vibrant, welcoming environments where students thrive academically and socially," said Ian Podmore, group head, of development and construction, concert infrastructure and project lead, Concert-Bird Partners.

The province added that, since 2008, Alberta Infrastructure has successfully delivered 45 schools using P3s saving Alberta taxpayers about $360 million when compared to the cost of using traditional procurement methods.

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