By Canadian Press

Surrey schools face double-decker portables, program cuts, says Falcon, school board

Apr 26, 2023 | 4:59 PM

VICTORIA — Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says the New Democrat government has failed to deliver on its promise from 2017 to eliminate portables at Surrey, B.C., schools.

Falcon told the Legislature Wednesday that instead of removing school portables, the numbers have doubled in six years of NDP government and some schools are now considering placing portables on top of each other, creating “double-decker portables.”

He cited a letter Surrey’s school board sent to Education Minister Rachna Singh this week saying population growth is exploding in the area and the government has fallen behind on building new schools.

The letter says the district is now looking to buy 30 new portables for next school year and is also preparing to move 39 other portables to manage projected enrolment growth.

Premier David Eby says the government is committed to providing safe learning environments and has opened 10,000 new spaces for students through 16 new schools or additions that are complete or underway across Surrey.

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The Surrey school board letter to the education minister says meetings with Surrey New Democrat members of the legislature, including Surrey cabinet ministers Bruce Ralston, Harry Bains and Jagrup Brar, have not yielded enough funding to meet population growth levels.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2023.

The Canadian Press