One new school is open, and another is on the way to provide a better learning experience for students in the Tri-Cities.

“As more families are choosing to call the Tri-Cities home, we are making sure there are great schools for students of all ages,” said Premier John Horgan. “More than 500 students will kickstart this school year in the newly rebuilt Irvine Elementary school. We are also building brand new schools to meet the needs of fast-growing communities, like Burke Mountain. This was the Coquitlam School District’s top priority, and I’m pleased to say a new, state-of-the-art Burke Mountain school is on the way.”

The newly rebuilt Irvine Elementary school is welcoming Port Coquitlam students with a modern facility that will benefit local families for generations to come. The school is a $26.7-million facility that is providing a safer learning environment for 505 students – 115 more than the former school.

Irvine Elementary also has a Neighbourhood Learning Centre that will be home to 60 new preschool, 30-months-to-school-age, and school-age child care spaces, thanks to a $2.4-million investment from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund.

“The Burke Mountain region is a wonderful place to raise a family, and we know that a new school has been a long time coming. Our government is investing in schools throughout B.C. to make life better for families.”  said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This September, students across B.C. are heading back to new and improved schools, and we will continue to work closely with school boards and families so that students can have the best educational experience possible.”

The Province has also recently approved $135 million to build a new, 1,000-seat middle-secondary school on Burke Mountain. The school district will contribute an additional $25 million to the project. The new middle-secondary school on Burke Mountain will support future students from grades 6 to 12 and their families, and it is expected to be ready for students in fall 2026.

Adding another school on Burke Mountain is building on the Province’s investments to accommodate rapid enrolment growth in the community, as Coast Salish Elementary school is set to open later this fall. In the past five years, the Government of B.C. has approved nearly $300 million for seven new, expanded or upgraded schools in the Coquitlam School District.

Since 2017, government has invested $3 billion in capital projects, including expansions, new schools, seismic upgrades and site purchases for future schools. These investments have added almost 17,000 additional seats in B.C.

To support this momentum, Budget 2022 includes $3.1 billion for school capital investments that provide a better place for students to learn.

Quotes:

Michael Thomas, chair, Coquitlam Board of Education –

“The School District 43 (Coquitlam) Board of Education has been advocating for a Burke Mountain middle-secondary school for a long time, and it is exciting to see this project moving forward. The Ministry of Education and Child Care funding, and financial support from the School District 43 Board of Education, will ensure that the educational needs of students are met in this region for many years to come.”

Mike Farnworth, MLA for Port Coquitlam –

“Irvine Elementary has been a hub of learning, of creativity and of memories for thousands of students, and I’m excited to see that sense of community growing even more at a beautiful new school. With a modern, seismically safe school that offers space for even more students, I know PoCo families are going to make the most of this great new facility.”

Fin Donnelly, MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain –

“Families have been expecting more schools on Burke Mountain, and we’re delivering them so students of all ages can receive a quality education close to home. Our government has been working hard with parents, the school district and the city to bring these schools to fruition, and I’m so happy to see the results of that work paying off for families in Coquitlam and throughout our province.”

Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care –

“I am happy busy Port Coquitlam families will have convenient child care on school grounds, making life easier and giving them peace of mind knowing their kids are in one place for the whole day. Providing $2.4 million to this Neighbourhood Learning Centre is one of the ways we are creating more child care spaces throughout B.C. to create a future where child care is a core service that families can rely on.”