Red Deer Polytechnic to add more than 1,000 seats across 11 programs

Red Deer Polytechnic will grow 11 of its programs by more than 1,000 seats over the next three years, backed by $4.5 million from the province's third round of Targeted Enrolment Expansion.

The province is committing $148.4 million to the program across 21 post-secondary institutions, aimed at the fields where Alberta employers are short of workers.

Programs expanding at RDP

• Bachelor of Education
• Nursing diplomas
• Primary Care Paramedic - a new program
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Technology - a new diploma
• Early learning and child care
• Medical laboratory assistant

Enrolment holding steady

RDP expects about 10,500 credit and non-credit students in 2026-27, up from 8,659 in 2022-23. International enrolment has fallen to about 600 from 900 last year because of federal caps, while Indigenous student enrolment has risen.

Sources: Red Deer Advocate, 15 and 21 September 2026.