Skip to content

Contract awarded for construction of new Blackfalds high school

A contract has been awarded for the construction of a new Blackfalds high school, which is being built as a private-public partnership.
26671109_web1_210930-RDA-P3-school_1
A concept illustration of the new Blackfalds high school. (Contributed image).

A contract has been awarded for the construction of a new Blackfalds high school, which is being built as a private-public partnership.

It’s one of five new high schools that are moving ahead as P3 projects. According to the provincial government, this will save Alberta taxpayers $114.5 million, support 1,678 jobs and provide about 7,000 new student spaces as part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan.

The Alberta government has awarded the P3 contract to Concert-Bird Partners. This a consortium comprised of Bird Capital Limited Partnership, Bird Design-Build Construction Inc., Concert Infrastructure Ltd., Ainsworth Inc., BR2 Architecture and Wright Construction Western Inc.

Concert-Bird Partners will design, build and finance new high schools in Blackfalds, Langdon, Leduc and Edmonton. As part of the P3 contract, Concert-Bird Partners will also maintain the new school facilities for 30 years.

The government states that Concert-Bird Partners had the lowest bid price at $300.3 million, compared to government’s cost of $414.8 million for doing the same work using traditional delivery methods.

School planning and design work will begin immediately. Construction in Blackfalds is to start by summer 2022.

Alberta Minister of Infrastructure Prasad Panda said, “This P3 schools project is… creat(ing) jobs by boosting the economy and supporting 1,678 construction-related jobs in communities around the province.”

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange said, “I am proud that these five construction projects will provide excellent new learning environments for about 7,000 students.”

The Blackfalds school will contain Grades 9-12, as part of the Wolf Creek Public School District.