Students and staff will be learning and teaching in safer classrooms when Prince Rupert Middle School is rebuilt to the latest seismic safety standards.

“Prince Rupert residents have waited a long time for a safe and modern learning facility for middle-school students,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “I’m so proud to announce that our government is taking action to ensure students in the area will soon have an upgraded middle school to learn, play and grow for generations to come.”

The Province is providing $126.8 million to make sure 600 students will be learning in a seismically safer school by replacing Prince Rupert Middle School. The new school will include the addition of a neighbourhood learning centre. In keeping with the Province’s CleanBC emissions-reduction goals, the school will be designed with the aim of reducing greenhouse gases by more than 50% to match the LEED Gold standard. Mass-timber construction will also be incorporated into portions of the school as part of B.C.’s commitment through the Mass Timber Action Plan in construction in public-sector buildings.

“Making schools seismically safer is a top priority for our government,” said Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast. “Prince Rupert students and teachers deserve a safe learning environment, and I am thrilled our government is able to deliver on this much-needed replacement school.”

Kate Toye, chair, Prince Rupert Board of Education, said: “This has been a long project in the making with many people working together to get us to this place. It is wonderful to know we will be building an innovative school that holds the students and their learning at the centre. We, the board, are also thrilled to know that we will be building a seismically safer school that is also designed to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, a benefit for future generations.”

This project is part of the Province’s work with B.C. school districts to provide students with access to seismically safe schools. During the past six years, the Government of B.C. has announced seismic upgrades or replacements for 63 schools, ensuring over 35,000 more students are attending schools that are seismically safe with almost $1.6 billion in funding from the Province.

Budget 2023 includes $3.4 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.