Ms DeLong: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Education has spoken publicly in this Legislature of the importance of having community services integrated in schools and schools being integrated into the community, yet schools are still being closed in the inner city. The school boards are saying that it's the province that's pressuring them to close. My question is to the Minister of Education. What Alberta Department of Education legislation or regulations are contributing to schools in the inner city being closed?

Mr. Hancock: Mr. Speaker, actually, there are no legislative policies or regulations which would contribute to that type of decision-making.

Ms Blakeman: It's the utilization rates, and you know it.

Mr. Hancock: Utilization rates do not actually contribute to the idea of closing schools. Utilization rates are utilized with respect to whether or not new schools are needed.

What might actually impact a school board's decision is the plant operation and maintenance funding formula, which funds on a per-student basis. So if you don't have enough students in a school or if the school is larger and more difficult to heat and operate, that might actually impact a decision.

Ms DeLong: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the same minister: how can government possibly encourage schools to pursue wraparound service partnerships when the schools that are pioneering such practices in older, often higher social needs communities are the first schools up for closure?

Mr. Hancock: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I'm glad that we have the trustees from Edmonton public school board here today so I can say yet again what I've said in the past in this House. The city centre school project in Edmonton public, which was put together a number of years ago, demonstrates exactly how to do it. They created a better opportunity for education for the children in that area. Yes, a couple of schools were closed, but the receiving schools were renovated, and what they've created are partnerships with the community to provide better supports for those students.

Ms DeLong: Thank you. To the same minister: what can your ministry do to encourage services such as children and family services and community health services to be offered within the school walls?

Mr. Hancock: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quite a lot of work is happening with respect to so-called wraparound services. There are some 35 mental health capacity building projects across the province, which are piloting those kinds of projects. Again, we also should be encouraging — and I have been encouraging — Children and Youth Services, Health, and other community agencies to actually co-locate, where appropriate, with schools. In fact, that can also have another benefit, and that is that if excess school space is used for other public purposes, it actually can be taken out of the utilization formula.