New schools in Regina, Saskatoon among education infrastructure spending in budget

The Saskatchewan government's 2024-25 budget includes money for new schools and renovations to existing ones to increase capacity as enrolment numbers grow.

According to budget documents, about $216 million is set to go toward school infrastructure — up by $68.7 million from last year's budget. It's a part of the $3.3-billion total budget for the Ministry of Education.

The school infrastructure money is broken down as follows:

Dozens of new and ongoing projects are laid out in the budget, including two new joint-use projects in Regina and two in Saskatoon.

"We know that we're seeing significant growth in the two large cities in our province," Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill said Wednesday afternoon.

Saskatoon estimates its population grew by more than 14,000 people in a year, from Oct. 1, 2022 to Oct. 1, 2023.

The $8.8 million set aside to plan new schools and renovations includes:

Meanwhile, the $165.9 million for ongoing projects includes in-progress new schools or renovations in Lanigan, Carlyle, La Loche, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Balgonie, Wilcox and Regina.

Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) president Samatha Becotte said capital projects are important, especially in schools with leaking roofs and regular flooding, "but, at the same time, if they're only investing in capital and they get these shiny new buildings. They're not putting the teachers and the professionals that are needed in order to fill those classes and get students what they need to be successful." 

The province also announced $28.5 million toward the Relocatable Classroom Program. It follows a $32 million announcement in February for relocatable (or portable) classrooms from the 2023-2024 budget.

The budget announcement comes during an ongoing labour dispute between the province and teachers, who picketed outside of the Legislative Building in Regina Wednesday as politicians, pundits and critics talked provincial dollars inside.

The STF has been steadfast that classroom size and complexity be included in negotiations. Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill has disagreed, saying school divisions should control those decisions.

"We believe in the local autonomy of our 27 school boards. The reality is that the 27 school divisions, they represent communities that vary so much," Cockrill said.

"We need to have an agreement that doesn't handicap school divisions to make decisions that are right for their local school communities, and negotiating those items in a provincial contract would do exactly that."