COQUTILAM – Local MLAs Rick Glumac, Port Moody-Coquitlam, Selina Robinson, Coquitlam-Maillardville, and Mike Farnworth, Port Coquitlam say students in the Tri-Cities will benefit from safer, more efficient schools thanks to over $2.4 million in provincial funding for school upgrade projects in the Coquitlam School District.

“Everyday teachers and parents work hard to ensure students are being set up for success and our government is committed to doing our part,” said Glumac. “By investing in proper upgrades and maintenance for students, we’re ensuring that students in SD 43 can focus on what matters most, their education.”

The Coquitlam School District is receiving $2,420,000 in funding for school maintenance projects which include univent and DDC upgrades at Dr. Charles Best Secondary, mechanical system upgrades at Summit Middle School, and an air handling unit upgrade at Hazel Trembath Elementary.

These funding programs are part of a $206 million provincial investment under the Annual Facilities Grant, School Enhancement Program, Carbon Neutral Capital Program and Bus Replacement Program, to ensure students have well-maintained learning environments and bus services that are safe, comfortable and efficient. This year’s funding is a $500,000 increase from the previous year, and a $20.6 million increase from 2016/17.

The New Democrat government has delivered historic levels of funding to B.C. schools, including the biggest operative and capital budgets in B.C. history, an extra $1-billion in classroom funding over 2016/17, $2.7-billion over three years to build, seismically upgrade and expand K-12 schools, and a new annual $5-million playground fund.