New Cloverley elementary school coming to North Vancouver

THE Province announced on Friday that families in the growing Cloverley neighbourhood will benefit from a new elementary school that meets students’ needs.

“More people than ever are choosing to make British Columbia their home, and that’s why we continue to make historic investments in schools,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “We’re giving families peace of mind that they can send their kids to a safe, modern school that is close to home.”

The Province is providing as much as $61 million and the North Vancouver School District is contributing an additional $3 million to build a new elementary school in the Cloverley neighbourhood. The new school will have capacity for 585 students and will include a neighbourhood learning centre with services that benefit the broader community, such as child care. Construction is expected to start in fall 2024, and the school will be ready for students in time for the 2026-27 school year.

“The city of North Vancouver is a desirable place to raise young families and the welcome chorus of children’s voices in our community also means an increasing demand for space in our public education system,” said Bowinn Ma, MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale. “The need for a new elementary school at the old Cloverley site has been growing, and I’m relieved to see our ongoing efforts of the past several years to build a new school now reach this crucial funding milestone. My gratitude to all the parents for their ongoing advocacy and to the school district for their partnership in getting this project to where it is today.”

Since 2017, government has invested approximately $166 million to improve schools in North Vancouver. Other capital projects include the recently completed seismic upgrades at Mountainside Secondary, the seismic replacement and expansion at Handsworth Secondary, and a 145-seat expansion at Lynn Valley Elementary.

“Providing families in and around the Cloverley neighbourhood with a new, modern and safe school is a priority for the North Vancouver School District,” said Kulvir Mann, Chair, North Vancouver Board of Education. “We welcome today’s announcement and would like to thank the Ministry of Education and Child Care for continuing to work with and invest in the North Vancouver School District so that together we continue to meet the needs of students, staff and community, now and in years to come.”

Linda Buchanan, Mayor, City of North Vancouver, said: “I am thrilled this much-needed new elementary school is coming to our community. We are a growing city with many young families, particularly around the Moodyville area. This new school will allow children to learn, play and grow in their neighbourhood and alleviate capacity challenges.”

Since September 2017, the Government of B.C. has announced $3.4 billion for new and improved schools, and land purchases for future schools throughout the province. This includes adding approximately 22,000 new student spaces and 34,000 seismically safer seats in B.C. schools.

To support this momentum, Budget 2023 includes $3.4 billion for school capital investments to provide a better place for students to learn.