LAKELAND — From a new K-12 school rising in Mallaig to planning for the future of three Cold Lake schools, school infrastructure was front and centre during a recent visit to the region by Alberta Infrastructure Minister Martin Long.

Long joined Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr for discussions with Northern Lights Public Schools before travelling to Mallaig to see construction underway on the new École Mallaig K-12 Replacement School.

The visit comes as several school projects move through various stages of planning and construction across northeastern Alberta, where communities are preparing for future population and economic growth.

Cold Lake South Solution remains a priority

One of the major topics discussed with Northern Lights Public Schools was the Cold Lake South Solution.

The project is currently in the planning stage and is examining the future needs of Art Smith Aviation Academy, Cold Lake Junior High School and North Star Elementary School.

Growth in Cold Lake, including anticipated activity surrounding the expansion of 4 Wing Cold Lake, is adding urgency to longer-term discussions about school capacity and infrastructure.

Cyr said having Long meet directly with the school division gave the minister an opportunity to hear those needs firsthand.

“I appreciated the opportunity for Minister Long to hear directly from Northern Lights about their priorities and the needs they are seeing across the division,” Cyr said.

He thanked Northern Lights Board Chair Karen Packard and the Board of Trustees for continuing to advocate for students and communities throughout the division.

New Mallaig school taking shape

Following the meeting, the group travelled to Mallaig, where construction is underway on the École Mallaig K-12 Replacement School for St. Paul Education.

For Cyr, there was another local connection at the construction site.

Lakeland-based GenMec ACL is building the replacement school.

“It was particularly exciting to see GenMec ACL, a company from right here in the Lakeland, building this important project,” Cyr said.

He said having a regional company involved means the project isn’t only creating a new school for future generations, but is also supporting local jobs and trades during construction.

“GenMec is demonstrating the expertise and capability we have here at home, supporting local jobs and trades while building a school that will serve students and families for generations,” he said.

School investment stretching across the northeast

The Cold Lake and Mallaig projects are part of a larger push for new and modernized school infrastructure across northeastern Alberta.

School infrastructure is also moving forward in Lac La Biche, where a replacement for Vera M. Welsh Elementary School is under construction near the Bold Centre.

Northern Lights has also identified additional priorities across the division as it looks further ahead at the condition and capacity of its schools.

Cyr credited Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche MLA Brian Jean for advocating for school infrastructure in Lac La Biche and Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken for his work supporting the Mallaig replacement project.

He said continued collaboration with Long and Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides will be important as communities work to move additional projects forward.

“Northeast Alberta is growing, and we need to keep building for the future,” Cyr said.