Kwantlen Park Secondary to receive 20-classroom addition

The provincial government has announced funding of $40.9 million for a 20-classroom addition to Kwantlen Park Secondary, paving the way for an additional 500 student spaces.

Announced by B.C. Education and Child Care Minister Rachna Singh on Thursday, the funding will increase capacity at the school from 1,200 to 1,700 and will eliminate the need for 20 portables.

“Our board is very excited to receive funding for this 20-classroom addition at École Kwantlen Park Secondary,” said Laurie Larsen, Chair of the Surrey Board of Education. “The school currently has a capacity of 1,200 students, and this current school year, we have over 1,550 students enrolled. Enrolment in our district is growing at such a rapid pace and investments like this are needed to meet the needs of our growing community.”

In addition to the provincial funding, the Surrey School District will contribute $4 million to the project, which will also include a neighbourhood learning centre and child care spaces.

“This addition will relieve crowded hallways and other common areas, and will allow more students to learn inside the building, as opposed to portables.”

Enrolment in the district exceeded projections this year with more than 2,000 students enrolling for the 2022-2023 school year.

“Enrolment in our district has been steadily increasing, which has meant that many schools in our district are operating over capacity,” said Larsen. “We are so grateful for this funding and look forward to our continued partnership with the provincial government to address this growth and find sustainable solutions for our school communities to meet capacity needs.”

The Kwantlen Park Secondary addition is projected to be completed by spring 2027.