B.C. Government Responds to Surrey’s School Space Demands

The British Columbia government is addressing concerns over the pace of school construction in Surrey as the district’s students prepare to return to the classroom. With enrolment surpassing 83,000 last year—an increase of 1,500 from the previous year—Surrey has been compelled to explore innovative solutions to accommodate its growing student population.

In a recent announcement, the New Democratic Party (NDP) government revealed plans to open 700 new student seats in the district this fall. This includes 400 seats in an addition to Woodland Park Elementary, alongside 100 seats at both Walnut Road Elementary and Theresa Clarke Elementary. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma stated that an additional 2,300 seats are currently in development, with most expected to become available between winter 2026 and fall 2027.

Ma emphasized the challenges faced by the province, noting a population growth of 200,000 between 2023 and 2024. For every 10,000 new residents, the province requires an additional 51 classrooms. She remarked, “I challenge anyone to find a jurisdiction aside from maybe China that could build that quickly,” highlighting the government’s efforts to meet the demands of a rapidly expanding population.

The introduction of modular construction has been part of the strategy to expedite school building, with Ma citing the Woodland Park addition as a successful example. “These can be delivered in half the time at half the cost,” she explained. The government’s commitment to innovative solutions has led to the announcement of the most significant number of new seats in a single year, with 700 new spaces planned for this fall.

Despite these developments, the Surrey School District faces difficult decisions as it grapples with a projected $16 million budget shortfall for the 2025-2026 school year. This financial strain has resulted in the closure of alternative learning programs and the discontinuation of the Grade 7 band program. The district has also indicated that it cannot afford additional portables, as funding must come from its operating budget, which is already allocated for staff and programming.

Gary Tymoschuk, chair of the Surrey Board of Education, acknowledged the ongoing need for more classroom space. He reassured parents regarding the introduction of hybrid classes for some Grade 10 and Grade 11 students, emphasizing that these classes will help students prepare for future work environments that increasingly utilize remote and hybrid learning models. “We are hearing from some parents that they are actually grateful that we are going down this path because they want their children to learn how to effectively use tools like Zoom and MS Teams,” Tymoschuk stated.

While some parents have expressed gratitude for the hybrid learning approach, others have voiced concerns. Anne Whitmore, president of the Surrey District Parent Advisory Council, pointed out that adding classroom space does not equate to an increase in essential central resources. “There’s no increased gym space, resource room, office administration, learning center, and all of those things are essential to the school community,” she said. Whitmore also noted that the actual net gain in new seats might be overstated, as some modulars are replacements for existing portables.

The NDP government has invested $1 billion since taking office to create 16,000 new student spaces in Surrey. Ma expressed hope that recent federal immigration caps will help stabilize population growth, allowing the province to catch up with infrastructure demands. As the school year begins, the Surrey School District and the provincial government continue to navigate the complexities of accommodating a growing student body while managing budgetary constraints.