Surrey school expansion will make room for more students
Five hundred more students in Surrey can look forward to moving into modern, engaging classrooms after an addition to Kwantlen Park Secondary School was approved.
“We are working hard to address enrolment growth in Surrey’s schools by expanding capacity,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “Our government is committed to supporting families and the next generation of learners by improving school facilities in fast-growing Surrey.”
The addition increases the school’s capacity to 1,700 students. A neighbourhood learning centre will be part of the expansion, which will add child care within the school to further support families.
“It’s exciting to see progress continuing to be made that benefits our growing community,” said Bruce Ralston, MLA for Surrey-Whalley. “Our government’s investment will have a positive impact on families who choose to make Surrey their home.”
The Province has committed $40.9 million and the school district will contribute $4 million to the project. The expansion of the school will eliminate the need for 20 portables.
“Our board is very excited to receive funding for this 20-classroom addition at École Kwantlen Park Secondary,” said Laurie Larsen, chair of the Surrey Board of Education. “The school has a capacity of 1,200 students, and this school year we have over 1,550 students enrolled. Enrolment in our district is growing at such a rapid pace and investments like this are needed to meet the needs of our growing community.”
In just over five years, the Government of B.C. has invested $520 million in school upgrades, land purchases, school expansions and new school construction in Surrey. These investments will result in the creation of more than 10,000 student seats by 2027. All these investments in schools help keep up with the growing demand for safe, modern classrooms in Surrey.
“This new addition to Kwantlen Park will finally create a familiar space for all of us to learn,” said Arabella Garcia, Grade 9 student at Kwantlen Park Secondary School. “In the course of time, these will be the memories that stick with us the most and when I graduate, I want future students to experience learning as a community instead of learning in isolation.”
Since September 2017, the Government of B.C. has announced $3.2 billion for new and improved schools as well as land purchases for future schools throughout the province. This includes adding almost 20,000 new student spaces and 33,000 seismically safe seats at B.C. schools.
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.