Why are we here?
We are a coalition with a common purpose: to rectify the crisis in school overcrowding in Surrey.
We support the timely Provincial funding of new schools in Surrey’s high growth neighbourhoods. We support the supply of affordable housing.
The Surrey School Coalition’s premise is that the construction of new schools in high growth areas benefit students in Surrey, contributes to healthy communities, and enables economic growth through development. Business, industry, parents realize that the ability to provide supply, and keep housing affordable by providing supply, will be impacted if we and the local government continue to have negative pressure to slow down growth due to the infrastructure not being made available (ie. building schools to house students in our new growing communities).
Our Short Term ASK
To keep pace with the expected growth in Surrey, there is a need for approximately1 new elementary school every year and 1 new secondary school every 2-3 years for the foreseeable future
Why DO WE NEED IT?
- Schools over capacity by 7,000 students (which equals to the entire New Westminster School District)
- Total number of portables 275 in 2016/2017 school year (makes the population in Surrey portables the 24th largest school district)
- Of Surrey’s 120 schools 59% are overcapacity
- Of Surrey’s Primary/Elementary Schools 45 of 95 schools are overcapacity
- Of Surrey’s Secondary School 15 of 25 schools are overcapacity
- 30 of the 95 Primary/Elementary School (33% or 1/3) in Surrey’s school district are Closed to registration to families moving in after Sept 1st who will be forced to find a school outside their neighbourhood
- If families move in after Sept 1, they cannot go to the school that is right in their neighbourhood
- Overcapacity summary: Primary/Elementary schools are over by 1,100 students overcapacity (this equals to 3 primary schools); Secondary schools are overcapacity by 2,000 students (this equals to 2 high schools).
- Even if new schools are announced today, there is a 2-4 year delay before they can be opened, and will be full upon opening
- This impacts families and the development industry
