Students and families living in Langley’s Latimer neighbourhood will benefit from the purchase of a 1.9-hectare property to be the home of a new elementary school.

“When families move to a new neighbourhood, they deserve to have a school nearby for their kids,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “With hundreds of young families moving into this community, we took action to make sure land is in place for future classroom space to meet that demand.”

The Government of B.C. is providing the Langley School District with $8.3 million to purchase the property for a future K-5 elementary school. It is located on the corner of 82nd Avenue and 201st Street in Langley. The Langley School District is contributing $1.3 million to the purchase.

"The Board of Education is committed to providing the best educational opportunities for the students of Langley,” said Megan Dykeman, chair of the Langley School Board. “This land purchase brings the reality of a new elementary school for the neighbourhood one step closer. The board's long-term facilities planning has included a new elementary school for this growing region for some time and it is exciting to see these plans come to fruition."

The site and a future school are needed because the surrounding area is expected to triple in population once it is fully developed. To further benefit students, the Township of Langley has purchased an adjacent property to be used as a playfield for the future school.

The Latimer site is the second joint property purchase in the Willoughby Slope area between the Province and Langley School District. In July 2018, the two governments invested $9.3 million to buy land for a future school in the southwest Yorkson neighbourhood.

With these investments in place, the Langley School District is better prepared to meet the coming influx of students into the community. The Province will continue working with the school district to find the best options for new schools on these properties.  

Government is committed to adding new student spaces in fast-growing communities to reduce the need for portables. Since September 2017, the Province has announced funding of over $936 million for capital projects for new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and land purchases for future schools.

Quick Facts:

• Since September 2017, The Province has announced nearly $88 million to purchase six properties for future schools in fast-growing school districts.
• A new, 1,700-seat Willoughby Slope Secondary school is on track to open to students in fall 2019.
• Seismic upgrades are underway at Langley Secondary school and are scheduled to be completed in fall 2020.
• A 200-seat expansion to R.C. Garnett Elementary was opened to students in September 2018.

Learn More:

For more information about the Ministry of Education’s major capital projects, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/administration/capital/major-capital-projects