COURTENAY – Courtenay-Comox MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard says students in the Comox Valley will benefit from safer, more efficient and comfortable schools thanks to over $2 million in provincial funding for school upgrade projects in the Comox Valley School District.

“For too long, many school maintenance projects and upgrades were put on hold across the province,” said MLA Leonard. “We’re boosting funding for these upgrades because we believe our kids deserve to learn in safe and well-maintained schools.”

Comox Valley School District (SD 71) is receiving $2,551,074 in total funding, including:

• $685,000 in School Enhancement Program funding for HVAC and fire sprinkler system upgrades at Royston Elementary, and to replace gymnasium divider walls at Georges P. Vanier Secondary and Highland Secondary.
• $143,500 in provincial Carbon Neutral Capital Program funding for energy efficient boiler upgrades at Valley View Elementary.
• $1,722,574 in Annual Facilities Grant (AFG) funding, which flows to the Comox Valley School District annually for routine school maintenance costs.

These funding programs are part of a $198-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.

The provincial government has boosted school maintenance funding by more than $20 million over last year, and has increased the AFG for the first time since 2004/05. The increase in funding will help ensure that students, teachers and school district staff can focus their energy where it matters most – in the classroom.

Link to Provincial release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018EDUC0015-000500