More spaces open for Richmond students

Kids in Richmond will be welcomed with hundreds of new student spaces this September thanks to prefabricated expansions at two elementary schools.

“This is a big step towards our goal of expanding schools faster,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care. “And we’re not done. Our government will continue to take action to build classrooms that students and their families need here in Richmond and throughout B.C.”  

Recognizing the increase of young families living within the Richmond School District, the provincial government announced in fall 2023 that more than $16 million in funding would support prefabricated school expansions at Samuel Brighouse Elementary and William Cook Elementary schools. As kids return to these two schools this September, the school community can look forward to 11 new classrooms featuring bright and spacious learning areas.

With faster building methods, construction of both school additions took less than a year to complete. Combined, almost 300 new student seats have been added to the schools. Richmond’s R.C. Talmey Elementary school is also getting six new spacious classrooms as early as 2025. These school expansions are part of several new prefabricated school projects announced by the Province that will benefit more families in Richmond in the coming year.

“This is a big moment for our growing Richmond community,” said Henry Yao, MLA for Richmond South Centre. “These classrooms bring quality learning environments for more students this year. I’m proud to be part of a government that is making significant investments in building the student spaces our school district needs.”

In the past seven years, the provincial government has approved $245 million to create more than 500 new student seats and more than 5,500 seismically safe seats in the Richmond School District. This includes three expansion projects and 13 seismic upgrades and partial-replacement projects at schools, such as James Whiteside Elementary, William Bridge Elementary and Howard DeBeck Elementary, which are providing more than 1,000 students with safe places to learn.  

“As our community grows, so do the needs of our students,” said Heather Larson, chair, Richmond Board of Education. “These new classrooms are a testament to our commitment to ensuring that every child in Richmond has access to the quality education they deserve. The provincial government’s investment in our schools reflects a shared vision, where every student can learn and succeed in a safe and supportive environment.”

Since September 2017, the B.C. government has approved more than $5 billion for new and improved schools, and land purchases for schools. This has resulted in approximately 36,000 new student spaces and more than 38,000 seismically safe seats at B.C. schools. 

Learn More:

To learn about the Richmond School District, visit:  https://www.sd38.bc.ca/  

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