JENNIFER Whiteside, Minister of Education and Child Care, said on Tuesday: “This September, students across B.C. are heading back to new and improved schools. We’re proud of the work we’ve done to provide students with better places to learn, and we will continue to work closely with school boards to make investments that give students the best educational experience possible.”

New classroom spaces are ready for students at the new Regent Road Elementary and at Sullivan Heights Secondary, which underwent a major expansion this past year and increased capacity by nearly 60%. As well, seismic upgrades are complete at Queen Elizabeth Secondary and Prince Charles Elementary.

The new Regent Road Elementary will be home to 655 students, serving families in the rapidly growing Clayton neighbourhood. The school is the result of a $27.5-million investment from the Province and an additional $5.7 million from the Surrey School District.

The $34.3-million expansion of Sullivan Heights Secondary will provide a better learning experience for 700 students and expand the school’s capacity to 1,700. The Surrey School District contributed $5 million to the project. The expansion was approved for as much as $40.3 million but came in $6 million under budget. The savings will be reallocated to other capital priorities.

Seismic upgrades at both Prince Charles Elementary and Queen Elizabeth Secondary, a combined $25.6-million investment from the Province, are providing a safer learning experience for more than 2,000 students. These investments are part of government’s commitment to providing B.C. students with safe places to learn.

“We are so pleased to be able to open Regent Road Elementary and for the addition at Sullivan Heights Secondary. These investments are critical in meeting our capacity needs as our enrolment continues to grow with almost 1,000 new students annually,” said Laurie Larsen, Chair, Surrey Board of Education. “We look forward to continuing our work with the Ministry of Education and Child Care to find sustainable solutions for our school communities to meet our capacity needs and to ensure that every one of our 77,000 students has a safe and engaging learning environment.”

Over the past five years, the Government of B.C. has invested $475 million in Surrey schools. These investments will result in the creation of more than 10,000 student seats by 2025, which is equivalent to 400 portables avoided. All these investments in schools help keep up with the growing demand for safe, modern classrooms in Surrey.

Since September 2017, the Government of B.C. has announced $3 billion for new and improved schools as well as land purchases for future schools throughout the province. This includes adding almost 20,000 new student spaces and 32,000 seismically safe seats at B.C. schools.

Budget 2022 includes $3.1 billion for school capital projects over the next three years, including new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and replacements, and land purchases for future schools.

Mike Starchuk, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, said: “We know that students thrive when we put them in positions to succeed, and that’s why our government continues to make investments in fast-growing communities like Surrey. I’m so excited to see the new Regent Road Elementary open to children, and even more projects underway throughout Surrey as we continue to build the new and expanded schools that families count on.”

Rachna Singh, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers, said: “There is nothing more important than the safety of children, which is why families in our community are excited to know that students at Queen Elizabeth Secondary are now learning in a seismically safe school. Our government will continue making investments that improve schools for students and for the future of our province.”

Bruce Ralston, MLA for Surrey-Whalley, said: “Prince Charles Elementary is a community hub that has benefited students and families in Whalley for decades. With seismic upgrades now complete, we can be sure that thousands more students can develop long-lasting friendships and memories for generations to come in a safer place to learn.”