At its November 27 Board Meeting, Peace River School Division trustees decided to postponed a planned Value Scoping session for Fairview as uncertainty grows around Northwestern Polytechnic’s decision to close its Fairview campus in 2026.
With community members actively working to keep the college open, the Board agreed that long-term school infrastructure planning should be delayed until the situation becomes clearer.
The Value Scoping session, originally intended to proceed in the coming months, was designed to help the Division assess facility needs and future planning options for Fairview schools.
At the September 18 Board Meeting, trustees communicated construction of a new K–12 school in Fairview is a top capital priority for Division.
That decision was guided by extensive feedback gathered in the Fairview School Facilities Engagement Report, additional input from individual trustees, and information supplied by the provincial government.
Community feedback showed preference for building a new K–12 facility, provided it maintains high-quality instructional and extracurricular spaces, includes meaningful partnerships with Northwestern Polytechnic, the Town of Fairview, the MD of Fairview, and local childcare providers, and anticipates future student population growth.
In response to concerns about the college closure, the Board also directed administration to prepare a letter to the Minister of Advanced Education outlining the expected impacts on Peace River School Division.
Trustees requested that the same letter be forwarded to Central Peace–Notley MLA Todd Loewen, Premier Danielle Smith, and the Northwestern Polytechnic Board of Governors.
Keith Hopper, Trending 55
