Alberta to spend $7 million on Lakeland College agriculture training expansion

CALGARY — Alberta’s UCP government is spending more than $7 million to expand agriculture training facilities at Lakeland College, a move it says will help meet growing workforce demand in rural communities while allowing students to train and build careers closer to home.The funding, announced for the 2026-27 fiscal year, will support upgrades and expansion of the college’s beef yard and the relocation of horse pen facilities at its Vermilion campus. Government officials say the project will increase training capacity, modernize facilities and strengthen ties between students and Alberta’s agriculture sector.Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall said the investment will help ensure rural students can access education and employment opportunities without leaving their communities.“Institutions like Lakeland College keep rural communities strong by connecting Albertans to education and careers close to home,” McDougall said in a statement. “This investment strengthens those institutions, expands modern training spaces and builds Alberta’s workforce.”The province said the beef yard was originally designed to accommodate 60 students and 100 cattle but now serves more than 80 students and 220 animals. Planned upgrades are intended to address current capacity pressures while supporting future growth..Increasing brain power: Alberta schools to get added spending for publicly funded lunch programs .Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Tara Sawyer said the project will help prepare students for careers in Alberta’s agriculture industry while supporting innovation and long-term sector growth.“Alberta’s agriculture sector depends on skilled people, strong producers, and practical training that reflects the realities of modern agriculture,” Sawyer said.College officials said the funding will also support Lakeland’s student-managed farm model and applied research initiatives that benefit livestock producers.Alice Wainwright-Stewart, president and CEO of Lakeland College, said the upgrades will modernize key learning facilities and improve hands-on training opportunities for students.According to the province, Lakeland College and external partners have already contributed $1.83 million toward the beef yard expansion and horse pen relocation project.Construction is expected to begin in July, with completion anticipated by November 2028.Lakeland College serves east-central Alberta through certificate, diploma, degree and apprenticeship programs, as well as applied research initiatives. The institution reported more than 4,000 full- and part-time students in 2024-25 and offered 908 apprenticeship seats across nine apprenticeship programs during the same academic year.

Alberta to spend $7 million on Lakeland College agriculture training expansion

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