NORTH VANCOUVER – North Vancouver-Lonsdale MLA Bowinn Ma says students in North Vancouver will benefit from safer, upgraded school facilities thanks to over $1 million in provincial funding.

“North Vancouver parents want to know that their children are safe when they go to school every day,” said Ma. “Because of our government’s investments, every school that required seismic upgrades in North Vancouver School District is now fully funded. This year’s funding will further ensure our students are in safe environments that allow them to focus on learning.”

North Vancouver School District (SD44) is receiving $1,025,142 in funding for school maintenance projects, including School Enhancement Program funding for HVAC renewal at Upper Lynn Elementary and replacing gas fire unit ventilators with hydronic ventilators at Seymour Heights Elementary. As well as the addition of one new bus through the Bus Acquisition Program.

This funding is a part of a $206 million provincial investment under the Annual Facilities Grant, School Enhancement Program, Carbon Neutral Capital Program and Bus Replacement Program. This funding exists to ensure students have well-maintained learning environments and bus services that are safe, comfortable and efficient. This year’s provincial funding is a $500,000 increase from the previous year, and a $20.6 million increase from 2016/17.

Since September 2017, the New Democrat government has approved over $6.2 million for school upgrades in the district. An additional $85 million has been invested in seismic upgrades.

The New Democrat government has delivered historic levels of funding to B.C. schools, including the biggest operative and capital budgets in B.C. history, an extra $1-billion in classroom funding over 2016/17, $2.7-billion over three years to build, seismically upgrade and expand K-12 schools, and a new annual $5-million playground fund.

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019EDUC0019-000324