LAC LA BICHE – An announcement earlier this spring from Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) stating that pre-planning funding has been approved for a new school for Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement is good news for the community.
In late March, NLPS announced that the school division had been granted pre-planning funding for a new school in Buffalo Lake, which is located 50 km southwest of Lac La Biche, and is the only Métis settlement in Alberta without an on-site school.
Stan Delorme, council chair for Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, praised the funding announcement for the long-awaited school. For nearly a decade, both the NLPS board of trustees and Buffalo Lake administration have been advocating for a new school.
Currently, most kindergarten to Grade 8 students in Buffalo Lake travel about one hour each way to attend classes at Caslan School. According to Delorme, once this new school is built, it will keep students in their home community.
"This announcement brings immense hope and pride to our community," said Delorme. "For years, our children have faced long commutes to attend school outside the settlement. Today, we move closer to bringing education home, where it belongs."
According to information from Buffalo Lake administration, the approved pre-planning funding will facilitate inclusive community consultations and define the scope of the project. Buffalo Lake officials have already identified a site within the settlement where the new school will be located, near other essential services.
The aim is to create a community hub, with the integrated approach not only offering education to kids in the community, but also extracurricular programming, cultural activities, along with expanded services for youth and families.
"This school will be more than just a place to learn—it will symbolize our community's resilience, cultural pride, and commitment to our children's future," Delorme stated. "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Northern Lights Public Schools Board of Trustees for their unwavering support and partnership."
The initiative to build a new school for the Métis community aligns with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or Canada’s Calls to Action, particularly those emphasizing the need for culturally appropriate education and establishing community-based educational institutions for Indigenous peoples.
“By bringing education into the heart of the community, the project supports the broader goals of reconciliation and empowerment,” according to Buffalo Lake administration.
During an interview on Oct. 2, 2024, Delorme said the new school project would cost about $25 million. At that time, Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement administration was looking at two sources of funding, with half coming from the federal government, and the other half from the province, as well as industry partners.
Nicole Garner, the communications and public relations manager for Northern Lights Public Schools, explained that there is no timeline as to when construction of a new school could get underway, as the project is in the pre-planning stage.
“Once that is completed, the government will need to determine if it proceeds to the planning stage, and then there would be the design phase and construction phase after that, all of which proceed in their own time, and need approval to move from one stage to the next,” she said.
