BC completes $44M elementary school, costs far more reasonable
Last week, BC announced the completion of École Snokomish Elementary in the Surrey School District. As one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, Surrey continues to face increasing demand for classroom space, and the new school is designed to help meet the educational needs of its growing population. The combined provincial and Surrey Schools investment was $44 million.
“These new schools mean more local classroom space for students and less pressure on families who want their children to learn close to home,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “By investing in modern, safe schools in Surrey, we’re making sure communities have the public infrastructure they need today and into the future.”
The new École Snokomish Elementary includes:
opening 655 new seats
23 general instruction classrooms and four kindergarten classrooms
neighbourhood learning centre used for child care
greenhouse-gas reduction strategies to increase energy efficiency in the building
Project completed at moderate cost
For this individual project, while still high, costs are far more aligned with historical standards, with the cost being $67,176 per student.
Back in November, Coastal Front examined a school project in New Westminster that was significantly more expensive at $107,438 per student. It was part of a broader trend under the BC NDP, which has inflated costs way beyond previous projects done in the 2010s.
Costs adjusted for inflation. The asterisks indicate the projects that are still under construction.
British Columbia is facing mounting fiscal pressure, marked by a downgraded credit rating and expanding budget shortfalls. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey has acknowledged these challenges and committed to taking steps to improve the province’s financial position. Minister Bailey has even gone as far as to say that she’ll be the most unpopular person in the province, in an address to the Vancouver Board of Trade last week. The coming months will indicate how the government’s fiscal approach takes shape.
