A safer school is on the way for Braefoot Elementary school students, with seismic upgrades approved to begin this summer.  

“All parents deserve to know their children will be safe at school in the event of a major earthquake,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education and MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake. “We are committed to accelerating seismic upgrades throughout B.C. to give students safer schools as soon as possible, and this is a great step forward for families in Victoria.”

Braefoot is included in the Province’s Seismic Mitigation Program as the school is considered to be at a high risk of incurring significant damage in a major earthquake.

As part of a commitment to invest in safe schools for children, the Government of British Columbia is providing $10.4 million to fully fund the cost of the project. This investment means 335 student spaces will be seismically safer once the project is completed.

The Province approved this project to better protect students and have them in their upgraded school by September 2020. With construction beginning in summer 2019, Braefoot students will temporarily attend nearby Richmond Elementary school, with buses provided for students who require it.

“Safety is a top priority for our district and we want to provide the safest learning environments for our staff and students and ensure that everyone feels safe when entering our schools,” said Jordan Watters, chair, Greater Victoria Board of Education. “In a region that is susceptible to seismic activity, these kinds of projects are crucial for keeping our students and staff safe in a natural disaster. We are very excited about this announcement because it’s not only an investment in our infrastructure, but also is an investment in our students and staff.”

Government is working to clear the backlog of seismic projects in B.C. by working with school districts and local governments to reduce the time it takes to plan and upgrade or replace a school.

Since September 2017, the Province has approved a total of $947 million in school capital projects, including over $500 million for school seismic upgrades or replacements.

Quick Facts:

• As of February 2019, 182 of the 348 schools in B.C.’s Seismic Mitigation Program have been upgraded or replaced, while 29 schools are either under construction or proceeding to construction.
• In the Greater Victoria School District, 15 schools in the Seismic Mitigation Program have been seismically mitigated.

Learn More:

For more information about the Province’s Seismic Mitigation Program, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/administration/capital/seismic-mitigation