Overcrowded Sask. schools in need of space, but have no control

Libraries, dance studios and teachers’ lounges in Saskatchewan schools are full of kids learning because they’ve had to be turned into classrooms.

Schools across Regina and Saskatoon, in both the public and Catholic school divisions, are doing what they can to deal with the addition of hundreds more students each year.

The latest example of this is Jack Mackenzie Elementary School in Regina. In the few weeks since the start of school, the school has had to convert the staff room, library and dance studio into temporary classrooms.

Regina Catholic School Division and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools both said they’ve had to add portables at some schools and convert non-classroom space to deal with the capacity strain.

Regina’s Public division is growing by three per cent each year, which is about 800 more students.

“That should be a new school every year, and we’re not building that right now, and that is the biggest issue that we face — that we don’t have the schools where we need them,” explained Mark Haarmann, CEO and Director of Education for the division.

The biggest need in Regina is in the newly developing areas where new families are settling, but because there aren’t new schools ready in these areas, those kids are having to be squeezed into existing schools.

Haarmann said the kids could be bussed to less full schools farther away, but that could mean putting kids as young as Grade 1 on a bus for an hour or more.

“I don’t feel really comfortable as an educator or a parent with that,” he said.

Provincial government in control of new schools

Part of the problem is the division’s formula, and Haarmann said it might need to be adjusted to account for more kids per household. But the divisions don’t have control over when schools are built, and he said that’s the ultimate solution.

In 2009, the Government of Saskatchewan changed taxation law, stopping divisions being able to set their own tax rates and collect the tax, instead having government assume direct control.

This meant the provincial government also took control over the approval, funding and building of schools.

So, divisions now put in their requests, and the provincial government decides when and where new schools are built.

There are new schools in the works for Regina. New joint-use elementary schools are set for Harbour Landing, north Regina and east Regina in The Towns neighbourhood. There’s also a new joint-use high school set for Regina’s southeast.

The way enrolment is right now, Haarmann believes those schools will be full as soon as they open, and more will be needed.

The joint-use elementary school in Harbour Landing was overcapacity in its first year, and has been dealing with those issues ever since — including at one point moving the French immersion program to another school to make room.

The divisions can’t even have full control over bringing in relocatable classrooms, also known as portables. They’re a common solution when a school is facing space issues.

Haarmann said portables were ordered for Jack Mackenzie in Regina last fall and were supposed to arrive in time for this fall, but now won’t be in place until January. Classes have been moved to those non-classroom spaces until then.

To be able to keep pace with the growth its seeing, Haarmann said the division should be opening a new elementary school at least every two years, and a new high school every four years.

Haarmann said it is a frustration the division doesn’t have control, but he’s seen that other places too.

“I advocate daily for more space. Growth is coming, growth is good, it’s a vibrant, wonderful city that’s growing, it’s a great public education system we have here, I think it’s just a question of having the space to do our work,” he said.

Other school divisions under strain

The Regina Catholic School Division said, as of last week, it had nearly 14,000 students, which is 400 more students than it had projected.

In a statement, the division said it’s eagerly awaiting the three joint-use elementary schools and one high school that are in the works.

“Work is ongoing with the City of Regina and Government of Saskatchewan to predict future areas of population growth which informs our major capital requests,” read the statement.

Saskatoon Public School Division couldn’t give enrollment numbers, but said the growth since last year had been significant, which does bring challenges.

In a statement, the division said it has several schools in northeast Saskatoon that are over capacity, and it’s happy about the recent approval of the joint-use high school in Holmwood, and the joint-use elementary school in Brighton. It’s hoping for approvals for schools in Aspen Ridge and Kensington, as well.

Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools believed it will welcome between 800 and 900 new students this year, and that it’s seen “tremendous growth” in the past few years, which has caused some strain.

It’s happy about the elementary school in Brighton and the high school in Holmwood announced this spring, but the division said schools are also needed in the west end of the city. The division also has two school on the province’s priority list that haven’t been announced — an elementary school in Aspen Ridge, and a secondary school for Warman and Martensville.

Nine schools in 2024-25 provincial budget

In response to questions about whether the government was building schools too slowly for demand, Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s office said there are 28 major education capital projects under way or being planned in the province.

The office’s statement pointed out money has been allocated for 69 new schools and 32 major renovation projects since the Sask. Party formed government in 2007.

The 2024-25 budget includes $8.8 million for planning for nine new schools and two renovations:

– the replacement of Minahik Waskahigan High School in Pinehouse
– a new joint-use elementary school in east Regina
– a new joint-use high school for east Saskatoon
– renovations at South Corman Park School
– renovations at Swift Current Comprehensive High School
– pre-planning for a new joint-use high school in east Regina
– and pre-planning for a new joint-use elementary school in east Saskatoon’s Brighton neighbourhood

In the spring budget, there was also $48 million set aside to pay for 72 relocatable classrooms, and three moves to expand capacity in schools.

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