Alberta Approves 15 New Modular Classrooms for Rocky View Schools

Rocky View Schools will add new modular classrooms at several high-demand schools, including two in Chestermere, as enrollment pressures continue across one of Alberta’s fastest-growing divisions.
The Government of Alberta has approved 15 modular units for Rocky View Schools (RVS) through its 2026 program. The allocation includes 10 new classrooms, four replacement units, and one modular washroom, intended to provide immediate relief while longer-term school construction projects move forward.
Among the schools receiving new modular classrooms are Prairie Waters Elementary School and Rainbow Creek Elementary School, each of which will receive two additional units. Both schools have experienced increasing enrolment in recent years, reflecting broader population growth in the Chestermere area.
Other approved placements include École Airdrie Middle School, which will receive four new modular classrooms and a washroom unit, along with Manachaban Middle School in Cochrane, which will receive two classrooms.
“These modulars are a vital short-term solution,” said Fiona Gilbert, Chair of the RVS Board of Trustees, in a statement. “They help ensure students and staff have appropriate learning environments while our growing communities await the construction of new schools.”
RVS serves more than 28,000 students and continues to report some of the highest utilization rates in the province. Many schools are operating at or above capacity, driven by sustained residential growth in communities such as Chestermere, Airdrie, and Cochrane.
While the province has approved nine new school projects within the division, those facilities remain several years away from opening. In the interim, modular classrooms are being used to bridge the gap, offering flexible and relatively quick solutions to space constraints.
Additional modular units approved in 2025 are still in the process of being installed at several schools, including Nose Creek Elementary School, École Edwards Elementary School, and Rainbow Creek Elementary. Construction timelines for these units depend on site preparation work, including servicing and engineering requirements.
Elsewhere in the division, modular classrooms approved in previous years are expected to become operational later in 2026. Two units at Ralph McCall School are scheduled for occupancy in July, while two more at Springbank Middle School are anticipated to open in August, following delays related to site work and infrastructure adjustments.
Although modular classrooms are designed as temporary solutions, school officials say they play an important role in maintaining manageable class sizes and ensuring students have access to safe, functional learning spaces.
For families in Chestermere, the addition of modular units at local schools reflects both the opportunities and challenges associated with rapid growth. As new neighbourhoods expand, school infrastructure continues to adjust in response.
RVS officials say they will continue working with the province to address long-term needs, with permanent school construction remaining a priority in high-growth areas.