Summary

• 23 new and improved schools are opening throughout B.C. in September 2026
• It includes a new 585-seat school called Cloverley Elementary in North Vancouver
• The school includes a child care centre that will provide before- and after-school care

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As the new school year begins, more student spaces are open and underway to support student learning and growth.  

“Of the hundreds of major capital projects being delivered by my ministry across the province, the new Cloverley Elementary School project in my home community has a very special place in my heart,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “I want to thank the parents, our school district and local community members who never stopped making the case for this new school. Built with mass timber and an energy-efficient design, this is an investment that will serve families in our community for generations to come.”

Since 2017, the Province has invested in 250 capital projects throughout B.C., including seven capital projects in the North Vancouver School District. Six of the projects are complete, including the new Cloverley Elementary school, which is the first elementary school to open in North Vancouver in 35 years.

Features of the new school

The new school began construction in September 2024.

Features include:

• 585 new seats
• additional space for child care for children younger than age 5
• greenhouse gas reduction strategies that will improve energy efficiency and help lower the building’s environmental effect
• mass-timber construction, which uses a renewable building material and helps reduce the carbon footprint of construction

The Province provided $61 million for the elementary school project.

“North Vancouver is growing and our families need schools that grow with them,” said Antje Wilson, chair, North Vancouver Board of Education. “Cloverley Elementary responds to that need with 585 student seats, child care spaces and a modern learning environment designed for the future. On behalf of the board of education, I want to thank the Province for its investment and the many partners who helped bring this school to life.”

Features of the new child care centre

Families in North Vancouver will have access to 92 new licensed child care spaces at Cloverley Elementary, which will be operated by North Shore Neighbourhood House in partnership with the North Vancouver School District.

The child care centre will include 37 child care spaces for young children, including:

• 12 spaces for infants and toddlers younger than age 3
• 25 spaces for children 2.5 to 5 years

A neighbourhood learning centre will provide 55 child care spaces for before- and after-school care for school-age children.

The project was supported with nearly $3.7 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, jointly supported by provincial investments and federal funding under the 2021-22 to 2030-31 Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. In June 2026, the Government of Canada announced that it is providing an additional investment of as much as $5.4 billion over two years, starting in 2026-27, to support all provinces and territories in keeping child care fees stable and affordable for families. 

“Expanding access to before- and after-school care on school grounds gives children a strong foundation in the safe and welcoming spaces they already know and trust, providing families with reliable support closer to home,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This centre is a wonderful example of how our investments in affordable, reliable child care strengthen communities and help children and families thrive.”

No matter the child care option parents choose, the Canada Child Benefit provides direct, tax-free support, helping approximately 3.5 million families every year, including more than 450,000 families in B.C. For many families, the benefit reduces the burden of child care expenses, eliminating them in some cases, through the federal, provincial and territorial investments to reduce child care fees in the Canada-wide early-learning and child care system.

Investments in North Vancouver schools

Since 2017, the Province has committed more than $230 million to create more than 1,000 new seats, including the new Cloverley Elementary school, and 3,150 seismically safer seats in North Vancouver. It includes:

• seismic upgrades for Mountainside Secondary and Argyle Secondary
• a seismic replacement and expansion of 1,400 seats, which includes 200 new seats at Handsworth Secondary
• new additions at Lynn Valley Elementary and Westview Elementary, providing 145 and 100 new student seats respectively, which both opened in early 2026
• providing more than $6 million to the North Vancouver School District for the 2025-26 school year through minor capital programs, which includes funding for building maintenance, repairs, energy-efficiency upgrades
• funding for eight new and upgraded playgrounds in the North Vancouver School District (Seymour Heights Elementary, Blueridge Elementary, Norgate Elementary, Larson Elementary, Westview Elementary, Lynnmour Elementary, Queen Mary Community Elementary and Brooksbank Elementary)

Creating more student spaces in B.C.

• Since 2017, the Province has approved more than $7 billion to create nearly 50,000 new student seats and nearly 40,000 seismically safer seats in B.C. schools.
• In B.C., nearly 25,000 new student seats and 34,000 seismically safer seats are in use.

As B.C. grows, government remains committed to working with school districts and municipalities to provide students with safe, modern places to learn.

Quotes:

Anna Gainey, Secretary of State for Children and Youth —

“In partnership with the Government of British Columbia, we’re helping create new child care spaces for families in Cloverley. These new child care spaces will help more families access high-quality child care while making it easier for parents to participate in the workforce and ensure children get a great start in life.”

Linda Buchanan, mayor of North Vancouver —

“Access to high-quality, affordable child care is core to creating a complete community. It supports the well-being of children and families, helps parents participate fully in the workforce and is fundamental to building a healthy, inclusive and liveable city. At the city, we will continue to invest, partner and deliver infrastructure that creates quality child care spaces that meet the needs of our growing community.”

Susie Chant, MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour —

“Cloverley School is in a growing neighbourhood. Families here have been waiting patiently for the school and child care spaces that they need. This new school and child care centre will make a real difference for local families. It will give the children more opportunities to learn, play and grow close to home while helping build a stronger community.”

Learn More:

• For information about K-12 school capital projects in B.C., visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/capital
• For information about the 23 new and improved schools opening in September 2026, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/34222
• For information about ChildCareBC, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/childcare
• For information about the Canada-British Columbia Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/british-columbia-canada-wide-2021.html