Dear Minister Singh,
Subject: Capital Funding Acknowledging Projected Enrollment Growth
At the British Columbia School Trustees Association’s 2024 annual general meeting, our members representing all 60 boards of education in B.C. passed the following resolution:
“That the BCSTA advocate to the Ministry of Education and Child Care for a comprehensive review and reform of the school construction funding and approval process, ensuring a plan that acknowledges and funds projected enrollment growth.”
This resolution highlights the urgent need for a review and reform of the school construction funding envelope and approval process in relation to projected enrollment growth. With rapid development in many areas of the province, driven further by Bill 44’s zoning changes, our schools face increased pressure to accommodate an ever-growing student population.
Many districts rely on portables, which strain budgets and often lack essential facilities. While this temporary solution is unsustainable and fails to provide quality learning environments, the association does want to recognize that the shift towards modular builds is alleviating some of that pressure, both due to additional associated funding and the ease of construction and flexibility, which is appreciated in this time of substantive investments and rapid growth.
While these investments and updates in building methods are welcome, districts continue to struggle to plan effectively to ensure that facilities are ready when needed. We understand that the ministry is regularly considering these concerns while factoring in projected enrollment, and that the unprecedented enrollment growth being experienced in B.C., as well as other provinces, has created challenges.
Enclosed is a report from BCSTA’s Capital Working Group, titled Making Progress Toward Sustainable Schools: Next Steps, which outlines these recommendations and more in detail. We previously shared this report with members of your staff during meetings to discuss our AGM resolutions in May, and we urge your ministry to consider these recommendations when applying future updates to the funding process as part of your regular monitoring and adjustments for growth.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to continued collaboration.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Broady
President
British Columbia School Trustees Association