BC NDP MLAs Chouhan and Routledge say new student spaces are coming to Burnaby faster

BURNABY – BC NDP MLAs Raj Chouhan and Janet Routledge say that students in Burnaby will benefit as new student spaces are added to Nelson Elementary and Alpha Secondary as part of the government’s actions to expand schools.

“It’s important that we meet the needs of our growing population in Burnaby,” says Raj Chouhan, MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds. “The new classrooms will provide even more children with a safe, quality, learning environment.”

The schools getting new student spaces in Burnaby are:

• Nelson Elementary will get a four-classroom prefabricated addition, which will add 100 new seats to the school.
• Alpha Secondary will get a 12-classroom prefabricated addition, which will add 300 new seats to the school.

“As more families continue to make Burnaby their home, it’s essential that our schools reflect this growth,” says Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North. “The 300 new seats at Alpha Secondary will provide students and staff with the learning space they need to thrive.”

The use of prefabricated construction means students will soon be learning in modern classrooms that look just like regular schools. With sustainable and energy-efficient designs, the additions also align with the Province’s CleanBC targets and meets B.C.’s enhanced energy requirements. The new classrooms are expected to be ready for students by September 2025.

Through a $133.5 million investment, the Ministry of Education and Child Care is adding a total of 89 new classrooms, which is the equivalent of 2,185 new seats, to ten school districts. Communities receiving the new additions include West Kelowna, Langley, Surrey, Delta, Richmond, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Fort St. John, Nanaimo, and Terrace.

Since September 2017, the B.C. government has approved more than $5 billion for new and improved schools, and land purchases for schools in the province. This has resulted in more than 40,000 new student spaces and over 38,000 seismically safe seats at B.C. schools.

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