Francophone elementary students, teachers and staff in Greater Victoria are now learning and working in a temporary modular school on the Braefoot Elementary site in Saanich.

Planning for a permanent school is underway.

“We know francophone families in Victoria have faced many changes in recent years and are looking forward to the stability of having a permanent school,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education. “With this modular school now in place, students and their families can be assured of a consistent location until their new, permanent school adjacent to Lansdowne Middle school opens.”

The Province contributed $9.9 million to build the temporary, modular Beausoleil school for the Conseil scolaire Francophone (CSF). The Province has provided a further $1.4 million to construct and install a temporary gym to complement the modular school.

The modular building is connected by covered walkways to create a village atmosphere and provides all amenities for a safe and positive learning environment. The modular school is expected to host students in kindergarten to Grade 4 this year and is designed to meet future elementary enrolment needs.

"I am delighted to see the result of all the efforts that were invested by our families, the administration and the ministry to secure a temporary home for the students and staff of école Beausoleil, as they move in the new modular campus,” said Marie-Pierre Lavoie, CSF trustee for the Southern Vancouver Island region. “Although these new spaces are a temporary solution while we continue to work toward a permanent school on the recently acquired Lansdowne property, I am confident that the school community will feel at home in the new and modern modular campus at the Braefoot site for the years to come.”

In October, the Government of B.C. provided $15.6 million for CSF to buy property adjacent to Lansdowne Middle school from School District 61.

“I am so pleased to see the successful result of this collaboration between the Greater Victoria School District, the CSF and our government. This creative solution will keep the Beausoleil school community together as its permanent home is being built,” said Rob Fleming, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake. “I welcome students and staff to our community, and I congratulate the many families, educators and leaders who worked to make this happen.”

This investment is part of government’s work to ensure francophone students have certainty in their education.

“As a long-time advocate for francophone education in Greater Victoria, I’m overjoyed that Beausoleil students now have a temporary school of their own,” said Murray Rankin, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “We are continuing to make progress toward a permanent facility, and we hope to have more to say about that in the near future.”

Since September 2017, the Province has provided the CSF with more than $40 million for this modular school and site purchases in Kamloops, Penticton and Victoria. The Government of B.C. will continue working to acquire school sites for francophone students.

Learn More:

To learn more about the Conseil scolaire francophone, visit: https://www.csf.bc.ca/en/

For more information about major public school capital projects underway, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/capital/major-capital-projects

For a French translation: https://news.gov.bc.ca/26011#translations