Mar 17, 2026 – Hilary Angus/North Shore News

Westview Elementary is celebrating the recent opening of a new permanent addition that adds 100 seats distributed over four classrooms to the North Vancouver school.

The $6 million addition is the latest project in a $230 million commitment from the province to build new and upgraded school infrastructure in North Vancouver. In 2017, the province pledged to create more than 1,000 new seats and 3,150 seismically safer seats for the school district.

“I’m so proud to serve North Vancouver as its local MLA and know why more and more people are choosing to raise their families here,” said Bowinn Ma, minister of infrastructure, in a press release. “These 100 new seats will help meet enrolment growth in the area and give kids the educational experience they need to thrive – now and in the future.”

The addition was built using a prefabricated mass-timber system, which enables faster construction than conventional building practices. Construction on the addition began in summer 2025, and was completed in February 2026.

In addition to accelerated construction timelines, mass-timber buildings are also energy efficient and designed to resist high wind and earthquakes, according to Natural Resources Canada. A University of British Columbia study found the incorporation of natural materials like wood into interior spaces can reduce stress and contribute to positive mental health.

Ma said the province is moving towards modular and prefabricated construction for school expansions as a way to deliver the projects at half the cost and twice the speed.

Read the full article at nsnews.com.