Students and staff are heading back to safer classrooms now that seismic upgrades are complete at James McKinney Elementary school.

“A great school is at the heart of every strong community, and our government’s work to invest in schools is one of the many ways we’re making life better for families in B.C.,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This September, students across B.C. are heading back to new and improved schools. We’re proud of the work we’ve done to provide students with better places to learn, and we will continue to work closely with school boards to make investments that give students the best educational experience possible.”

The Province invested $12.6 million to seismically upgrade James Mckinney Elementary school and create a safer learning environment for 395 students. The investment is a part of the nearly $115 million that government has approved for seismic upgrades and replacements at 10 Richmond schools since 2017, which will provide as many as 5,100 students a safer place to learn.

“I’m pleased to see that students and staff will be headed back to a seismically safer school,” said Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond- Steveston. “I’m proud of the investments our government has made in addressing the specific seismic needs in Richmond and how they are improving the lives of families in this city.”

These projects are part of the Province’s work with B.C. school districts to provide students with access to seismically safe seats. During the past four years, the Government of B.C. has approved more than $1.2 billion in seismic upgrades or replacements at 59 schools provincewide, so more than 32,000 students can be better protected at school.

“The seismic upgrades to James McKinney Elementary provide our students and staff with a safe and inspiring learning environment,” said Sandra Nixon, chair, Richmond School District Board. “We are proud of what the Richmond Board of Education has accomplished in advocating for seismically upgraded schools in our community, and we will continue to work alongside the government to ensure investments continue to be made in our schools.”

Budget 2022 includes $3.1 billion for school capital projects over the next three years, including new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and replacements, and land purchases for future schools.

A backgrounder follows.