Superintendent Kern Von Hagen said Yellowknife Catholic Schools' student population is at 93 per cent capacity. When added to Yellowknife District No. 1 which is at approximately 80 to 85 per cent capacity, that means city schools have reached nearly 89 per cent total capacity.

Education standards state that a school is considered full when it reaches 85 per cent capacity.

Von Hagen said those numbers show the city needs a new school, which is why YCS has decided to conduct a $16,500 feasibility study.

"We're trying to put together a case and a study that says a school is indeed needed in Yellowknife," said Von Hagen.

"We have to get the government's attention."

Von Hagen said it's hoped the study will show the impact Yellowknife's economic growth has on school populations.

One question that needs answering is whether the critical housing shortage in Yellowknife may mean people come up North to work on cyclical shifts, which would not generate any additional permanent population.

Planning ahead Whether or not that is the case, schools are full in the city and Von Hagen said the government needs to be looking to the future.

"We need to be proactive. A lot of the time these types of facilities are built long after the need is there," said Von Hagen.

"We need to get ready."

Another challenge facing Yellowknife's bid for a new school is the needs of other Northern communities and the fact the territorial government faces a deficit of over $100 million.

"Every community in the North has needs and at some point they need to be addressed. I don't want to stand in the way of the needs of other communities and I would hope it would be the same vice versa," said Von Hagen.

The new school would be designed as either a middle school or Kindergarten-Grade 8 school.

The last new school built in Yellowknife was Range Lake North school in 1992. Although built later, St. Patrick high school and Weledeh were replacement schools and are not considered new construction.

YCS has not built a new school in 22 years.

Yellowknife No. 1 has no formal plans to build a new school.

Education minister Jake Ootes said he couldn't comment on where Yellowknife stands in queue for a new school.

He did say that it would be prioritized around other projects in the NWT.

"Our department does an analysis, which goes through a capital assessment process."