Three new school additions are on track to deliver more student spaces as early as the next school year in the fast-growing Surrey School District.

“As more families make Surrey their home, we are finding creative solutions to deliver more classrooms as quickly as possible,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “We continue to make record investments in Surrey and these new additions will serve students for decades to come.”

Through a new investment of $54 million, the Ministry of Education and Child Care is adding a total of 36 new classrooms, the equivalent of 875 new seats, at Walnut Road, Lena Shaw and Woodland Park Elementary schools. The new classrooms are expected to be ready for students in fall 2024.

The additions at the three schools will be custom-made prefabricated additions that will get students into classrooms quicker. With sustainable and energy-efficient designs, the additions align with the Province’s CleanBC targets and meet B.C.’s enhanced energy requirements.

“We are very grateful to receive this funding to purchase prefabricated structures for three of our schools,” said Laurie Larsen, chair, Surrey Board of Education. “Not only can these structures be assembled quickly, they also offer a more space-efficient solution compared to portables. We look forward to continuing to work with the provincial government to find sustainable, long-term solutions to alleviate our district’s capacity challenges.”

Recognizing the needs of the community, the provincial government has approved approximately $700 million to create more than 12,000 new student seats in the Surrey School District during the past six years, such as the recently completed addition to K.B. Woodward Elementary, the construction underway for the new Snokomish Elementary and Ta’talu Elementary, and additions to Semiahmoo Trail Elementary and South Meridian Elementary.

Since September 2017, the Government of B.C. has provided more than $4 billion for new and improved schools, as well as land purchases for future schools throughout the province. This has resulted in 25,000 new student spaces and 35,000 seismically safer seats at B.C. schools.

Budget 2023 includes $3.4 billion for school capital projects during the next three years, including new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and replacements, and land purchases for future schools. 

Quotes:

Jagrup Brar, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood –

“As more families continue to make Surrey their home, it’s important that we keep up with the growing demand on our schools. Investing in Woodland Park Elementary now will benefit students and families into the future.”

Garry Begg, MLA for Surrey-Guildford –

“It’s wonderful that Lena Shaw Elementary will be expanding to make space for more students in our community. With this addition, we are making progress on meeting enrolment growth in our district.”

Mike Starchuk, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale –

“As one of B.C.’s fastest-growing communities, it’s important we continue to invest in Surrey schools. This addition to Walnut Road Elementary will bring much-needed student spaces to our community.”

Quick Facts:

• Walnut Road Elementary will gain 12 new classrooms, adding 295 student spaces.
• Lena Shaw Elementary will gain eight new classrooms, adding 195 student spaces.
• Woodland Park will gain 16 new classrooms, adding 385 student spaces. 

Learn More:

To learn more about the Surrey School District, visit: https://www.surreyschools.ca/

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