Summary

• A new addition at Tomsett Elementary in Richmond has opened
• The addition provides 225 new student seats
• The addition was built for seismic resiliency and has modern, energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems for year-round comfort

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Families in Richmond will benefit from 225 new student seats as a new addition at Tomsett Elementary opens to support the growing community.

"As our Richmond neighbourhoods continue to grow, investments like the school addition at Tomsett Elementary ensure we are putting in place the building blocks for healthy communities,” said Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston. “This project is an investment in our students’, families’ and community’s future. It’s important to support student success with a comfortable learning environment where students can thrive."

Building quicker

Construction on the new addition at Tomsett Elementary was started in summer 2025 and completed in December 2025. With the permanent addition open, this project is one of many examples of how innovative solutions are helping to build schools more quickly, delivering the classrooms students deserve and supporting growing communities.

“In just a few short months, we’ve delivered 225 new student spaces at Tomsett Elementary in a modern, energy-efficient addition built to the highest seismic standards,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “It’s a powerful example of how we’re accelerating school construction to meet growth and give students the safe, inspiring classrooms they deserve.”

Features of the addition

The new addition includes:

• nine new classrooms, providing students with safe, modern places to learn
• individual HVAC systems in every classroom, designed to ensure year-round thermal comfort and healthy indoor air quality
• energy-efficient lighting systems throughout the facility, which support long-term cost savings

Structural design features strengthen the building against earthquakes and enhance seismic safety.

“Every family deserves confidence that their children can learn in a safe, modern classroom close to home”, said Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This addition at Tomsett Elementary will provide students with the space and support they need to learn and succeed, and ensures families in Richmond can count on safe, welcoming schools in their community now and for generations to come.”

Supporting students in Richmond

The Province invested nearly $13.5 million in the addition. 

Since 2017, the Province has committed nearly $260 million to create almost 750 new seats and approximately 5,600 seismically safer seats for Richmond students. These include:

• a new addition opened at R.C. Talmey Elementary, with additional expansions opening at Samuel Brighouse Elementary and William Cook Elementary in Richmond to help meet enrolment growth
• seismic upgrades at:
  • James Whiteside Elementary and William Bridge Elementary (opened in 2023)
  • Alfred B. Dixon Elementary and Howard DeBeck Elementary (opening in 2026)
  • John G. Diefenbaker Elementary (opening in 2028)

“This addition reflects the Richmond board of education’s shared commitment to providing students and staff with safe, well-designed learning environments that support teaching and learning every day,” said Ken Hamaguchi, board chair, Richmond School District. “Through strong collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure, we are able to respond to enrolment growth in ways that strengthen school communities and deliver lasting benefits for our district.”

Creating more student spaces throughout B.C.

• Since 2017, the Province has approved $7 billion to create more than 47,000 new student seats and more than 39,000 seismically safer seats in B.C. schools.
• Of these spaces, more than 23,500 new student seats and more than 33,000 seismically safer seats are complete.

As the province grows, government remains committed to working with school districts and municipalities to provide all students with safe, modern and inspiring places to learn.

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