Surrey Board of Trade Applauds BC Government on Continued Surrey School

Investments - BC Education Minister Announces $25.5 Million for Redwood Heights and South Newton

In January, the Surrey Board of Trade was invited by the BC Government to a media announcement on new Surrey school investments.

The Government of BC is providing $25.5 million for the Surrey School District to purchase a school site in the Redwood Heights neighbourhood. The school district has also secured a school site for a new elementary school in the South Newton neighbourhood. These land purchases are in addition to the land that was purchased for an elementary school in Sunnyside Heights last year.

“The Surrey Board of Trade has been a long-time advocate to the BC Government for needed Surrey school investments,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. “Education matters to business because both quality curriculum and quality surroundings are needed for our students to be leaders, locally and globally, through career and entrepreneur pathways.

“Learning in portables continues to be a challenge for Surrey students. These funding investments will eventually ease the number of needed portables in the long term, but the school district continues to grow by over 1,000 students a year.” “It is good to see the collaboration between the Province, the School District and the City of Surrey related to development and school construction being in concert with each other; however, development can’t just stop. The Surrey Board of Trade looks forward to more education funding announcements for Surrey.”

The Surrey School District diverts $10.7 million a year away from classroom funds to operate its 361+ portables. This means fewer resources for the projected 74,700+ students in 125 schools, including those students in schools with no portables, fewer teachers, less support for special needs students, and fewer course offerings in the whole district. Music rooms, gyms, libraries and computer labs have all been converted to classrooms in some schools in Surrey. All Surrey students are affected and deserve equal access, opportunity, and fair treatment compared to other districts’ students.

MORE: news.gov.bc.ca/21449