Hundreds of students in Langley are returning to a safe and modern school, as the Langley Secondary school seismic upgrade and partial replacement project is complete.

“B.C. families deserve to know their children will be protected if an earthquake should occur,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education. “Our government is accelerating investments in seismic safety, so more students can learn in safer schools. We’re working together with districts across the province to ensure every student can learn in a seismically safe school as soon as possible.”

The Ministry of Education contributed $25.8 million to the Langley Secondary project, and the Langley School District added $426,000. The project included seismic upgrades and a partial replacement to the school, creating 800 safe seats for students in grades 9 to 12.

“We are pleased to have the project completed,” said Megan Dykeman, chair, Langley School District Board of Education. “As a board, we continue to advocate for seismically safe schools. We know these upgrades will help facilitate a safe and inspiring learning environment for our students.”

In addition to new safety and learning upgrades, Langley Secondary has a new look. Construction has also removed hazardous materials, upgraded fire-suppression systems and improved accessibility. Additionally, the partial replacement has linked previously separated sections into a unified whole.

Langley families strongly support the continued use of the school. The school district led extensive community consultation on the seismic upgrades and partial replacement. Because it receives students from six elementary schools, Langley Secondary plays a central role in the community.

“Parents want to be able to send their child to school and know the building is safe,” said Michael Hylands, president, Langley Secondary School’s Parent Advisory Committee. “Starting the school year in an enhanced learning space enables our students to focus on their work without worrying about the building they are in. I know our students and parent community are looking forward to continuing to work with the district and Province on improvements for our school.”

Investments in student safety are part of the Province’s work to accelerate the Seismic Mitigation Program, ensuring every B.C. student can attend a seismically safe school as soon as possible.

Quick Facts:

• Since September 2017, the Province has announced over $1 billion for seismic upgrades or replacements at 50 B.C. schools, creating almost 30,000 safe student seats, with many more to come.
• To continue this momentum, the Ministry of Education has another $925 million allocated for high-risk seismic projects in Budget 2020.

Learn More:

For more information on the K-12 Education Restart Plan, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/covid-19-return-to-school