Surrey council endorsed the Surrey School District’s 2019-20 capital plan Monday night, which states city will need seven new schools in the next decade.
A corporate report to council notes that 37,996 residential development units are expected to be built in Surrey and White Rock over the next 10 years. That number rises to 44,113 including suites.
The school district is projecting 1,906 units in White Rock over 10 years, according to City of White Rock spokesperson Farnaz Farrokhi.
The district anticipates the growth will result in an additional 11,078 school-aged children enrolling in the district over that time period.
Due to that anticipated increase, seven new school sites, and one school expansion are needed in that time, the district states in its capital plan. It means the district needs to acquire roughly 64.7 acres of property.
The new and expanded school sites, which would be purchased in the next 10 years, would cost an estimated $179.8 million, based on current land prices.
The capital plan outlines the district’s wish list: A new south Newton elementary school (land cost estimated at $25.1million), a new Redwood Heights elementary (land cost estimated at $23.6 million), a new Dart’s Hill/Grandview Heights area elementary (land cost estimated at $25 million), a new south-east Newton elementary (land cost estimated at $44.1 million), a new east Bothwell elementary (land cost estimated at $23.1 million), a new Fleetwood Enclave area elementary (land cost estimated at $14 million), and a south Port Kells west elementary (land cost estimated at $14 million).
An expansion to Clayton Elementary is also in the plan, with an estimated land cost of $10 million.
B.C.’s school districts are required to submit a capital plan annually, outlining the number, location and cost of proposed new school sites to the Ministry of Education.
The ministry then reviews and approves the capital plan, and it becomes the basis for funding new schools in each district.
