Summary:

• K-12 school will provide 465 new student seats
• Construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2027

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Plans are moving forward to build a new K-12 francophone school in Saanich with 465 student spaces to support families and strengthen access to French-language education.

“Our government is proud to invest in projects that strengthen communities and support students,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “This new school will ensure francophone students can learn in a safe, modern environment that reflects their culture and community.”

Benefits students 

The new École Beausoleil will include:

• 20 classrooms 
• child care and community programs
• low-carbon building design to help reduce emissions and support a more sustainable future

Currently, the Beausoleil program operates in a temporary facility on the same site as Braefoot Elementary school, with capacity for 170 elementary school students.

To better serve francophone families and meet growing demand, a permanent Beausoleil school will be built on the same site as Lansdowne Middle school and serve an additional 295 students as a K-12 francophone school.

The school will help ensure francophone students can learn in a safe, modern environment that reflects francophone culture and community.

Supporting francophone students in Greater Victoria

École Beausoleil will be the second K-12 francophone school in Greater Victoria, following Victor Brodeur. With two K-12 francophone schools, francophone families will have more options and better access to schools closer to home.

The Province is investing nearly $73 million in École Beausoleil, with construction expected to begin in fall 2027.

“For our community, this new school is much more than a building: It is a collective dream we’ve had for a long time and it’s finally coming true,” said Marie-Pierre Lavoie, board chair, Conseil scolaire francophone (CSF) de la Colombie-Britannique. “The school embodies the resilience, pride and commitment of generations of families, educational staff and francophone leaders in Victoria. We are sincerely grateful to the provincial government and proud to take this step together, one that will strengthen the vitality of French in British Columbia for years to come.”

Creating more seats for francophone students in B.C.

Since 2017, the Province has invested almost $300 million in francophone education infrastructure through close collaboration with CSF, resulting in:

• 12 site acquisitions throughout the province
• seven school expansion projects, including new schools in Pemberton and Burnaby that are under construction, and completed projects in other communities throughout B.C., such as Smithers, Mission and Victoria.

The investments help build new and expanded schools in B.C., supporting francophone education and giving more families access to CSF programs.

Quotes:

Christian Leclerc, president, Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique —

“The fédération des parents enthusiastically welcomes the realization of the new school construction project in Victoria and applauds the provincial government’s efforts to meet the needs of our families. This investment represents an important stage in the development of Victoria’s rapidly growing francophone community.”

Diana Gibson, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head —

“Our government is committed to building the schools we need in our community. This new francophone K-12 school will be a place where students can learn, grow and celebrate their culture close to home.”  

 Nina Krieger, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake –

“A strong francophone school is an investment in our young people and in the vitality of our community for years to come. By expanding French-language education, we are ensuring that students can learn in the language they love while staying connected to their community.”

Learn More:

For more information about K-12 school capital projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/capital