Sylvan Lake's Lighthouse Christian Academy gets $4M for new 200-300 student school
The funding is part of a $25.8-million provincial investment in six independent school projects expected to create more than 3,500 new classroom spaces across Alberta.
Why it matters
The new facility will relieve years of overcrowding and let the academy better serve students with specialized support needs.
The Government of Alberta has awarded $4 million to Lighthouse Christian Academy in Sylvan Lake to build a standalone school near the Jarvis Bay campground in the Birchcliff area. The academy, currently operating out of a church basement on 50 Street with about 140 students, has long exceeded capacity, with multiple grades sharing classrooms.
Principal Dion Krause said the new 20-acre facility will accommodate 200 to 300 students, with a goal of 24 students per classroom. The project carries a $12.5-million budget, with the academy having already raised close to $4 million toward the remainder, hoping to open debt-free. Builder Eagle Builders LP is expected to need about 10 months to construct the facility, with a target opening of September 2027, pending scheduling.
The funding came through the province's School Construction Accelerator Program. Lighthouse Christian Academy, founded in 1989, also supports roughly 560 homeschooled students and draws students from outside Sylvan Lake.
The announcement was part of a broader $25.8-million provincial investment in six independent school projects across Alberta, including funding for Bearspaw Christian School and Third Academy in Calgary, Khalsa School Calgary, and a new Edmonton Islamic School. MLA Devin Dreeshen, who presented the cheque, cited the academy's track record and student supports as key reasons for the funding.
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