HAZELTON – Stikine MLA Doug Donaldson says students in Kitwanga and Kitimat will benefit from safer, more efficient schools thanks to over $1.5 million in provincial funding for school upgrade projects in the Coast Mountains School District.

“Access to safe and comfortable learning environments is integral to the health of our communities,” said MLA Donaldson. “This funding boost demonstrates our government’s commitment to our kids, and will ensure that students are learning in well-maintained facilities.”

Coast Mountains School District (SD 82) is receiving $1,595,000 in funding for school maintenance projects, which includes window, flooring and insulation upgrades at Kildala Elementary in Kitimat, as well as flooring upgrades at Kitwanga Elementary. In addition, various schools will receive direct digital control upgrades as part of the Carbon Neutral Capital Program.

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.

Since September 2017, the New Democrat government has approved over $3.6 million for school upgrades in the district, including $700,000 for boiler replacements at Hazelton Secondary and Cormorant Elementary.

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.

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019EDUC0019-000324