Sunday, June 28, 2026
ADVT 
National

Surrey schools face double-decker portables, program cuts, says Falcon, school board

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 Apr, 2023 05:21 PM
  • Surrey schools face double-decker portables, program cuts, says Falcon, school board

Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says the New Democrat government has failed to deliver on its promise from 2017 to eliminate portables at Surrey, B.C., schools.

Falcon told the Legislature Wednesday that instead of removing school portables, the numbers have doubled in six years of NDP government and some schools are now considering placing portables on top of each other, creating "double-decker portables."

He cited a letter Surrey's school board sent to Education Minister Rachna Singh this week saying population growth is exploding in the area and the government has fallen behind on building new schools.

The letter says the district is now looking to buy 30 new portables for next school year and is also preparing to move 39 other portables to manage projected enrolment growth.

Premier David Eby says the government is committed to providing safe learning environments and has opened 10,000 new spaces for students through 16 new schools or additions that are complete or underway across Surrey.

The Surrey school board letter to the education minister says meetings with Surrey New Democrat members of the legislature, including Surrey cabinet ministers Bruce Ralston, Harry Bains and Jagrup Brar, have not yielded enough funding to meet population growth levels.

MORE National ARTICLES

Kids less likely to transmit COVID-19 virus: study

Kids less likely to transmit COVID-19 virus: study
Results showed that compared with adults, children were less likely to grow virus in culture and had lower viral concentrations, suggesting they are not the main drivers of transmission.

Kids less likely to transmit COVID-19 virus: study

B.C. teacher charged with child exploitation

B.C. teacher charged with child exploitation
RCMP in 100 Mile House say 33-year-old Vincent Collins of 108 Mile Ranch was arrested while on his way to work.

B.C. teacher charged with child exploitation

Order issued to end encampment in Vancouver park

Order issued to end encampment in Vancouver park
The order comes after the province, city and park board signed a formal agreement this week to end the 10-month encampment that has swelled to roughly 400 tents.

Order issued to end encampment in Vancouver park

B.C. liquor servers to get pay boost

B.C. liquor servers to get pay boost
Labour Minister Harry Bains says he's proud to put an end to the discriminatory lower minimum wage for liquor servers, 80 per cent of whom are women.

B.C. liquor servers to get pay boost

COVID-19 rebate cheques out by end of April​​

COVID-19 rebate cheques out by end of April​​
Two weeks ago, ICBC began mailing small batches of COVID-19 rebate cheques directly to eligible customers.

COVID-19 rebate cheques out by end of April​​

Carney makes political debut at convention today

Carney makes political debut at convention today
Trudeau dodged questions Friday about Carney's possible political future just hours before the former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England was set to make a star turn at the federal Liberals' national convention.

Carney makes political debut at convention today