Surrey MLA speaks out against potential for double-decker portables in schools

Crowded classrooms have long been a fact of life in Surrey, but now B.C.’s largest school district is warning it may have to bring in double-decker portables if it doesn’t get more money from the province.

In a letter to Minister of Education and Child Care Rachna Singh, the Surrey Board of Education says many schools are already “operating far over capacity,” and are using portables to keep up.

The Surrey Board of Education has shared a letter with the Minister of Education and Child Care, and all local MLAs, highlighting the urgent need for investment in new schools and additions in our fast-growing district: https://t.co/ukAiFq6Awp#SurreyBC #WhiteRockBC #sd36learn pic.twitter.com/54WBRJABk1

— Surrey Schools (@Surrey_Schools) April 26, 2023

Currently, Surrey has 361 portables. But if continues at its current rate, the district will need 400 more within two years.

BC United Education Critic and Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko says the situation is deeply concerning.

“It’s a complete failure and lack of foresight by this government. They love to say that they’re still catching up from previous governments but the reality is they’ve had two terms in government now and they’ve made some very grandiose promises,” she said.

Elenore Sturko speaks to media in Vancouver. (CityNews Image)

“It really just shows that they don’t have any clue of what the reality about what’s happening in our city.”

Sturko adds the problems stem from a lack of planning.

“When you consider that even just a couple of years ago this government, this NDP government, made the commitment to expand the SkyTrain from Surrey to Langley and it goes right through Fleetwood. They should have been concurrently shoring up plans to make sure that there would be adequate school spaces to go along with that development,” she said.

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Sturko explains that portables are an expensive, band-aid solution.

“I don’t know if people realize this, but when they put in portables at a school, that money does not come from a capital budget,” she said.

“Our school district in Surrey already has a $9.3 million shortfall and by having to pay for portables, it’s actually taking further money out of that operating budget and really shortchanging learners in our district.”

In a news release, Surrey City Counc. Linda Annis says she plans to introduce a motion next week that calls on city hall, the school board, and the province to work together to take a “zero tolerance approach” to portables in the district.

“The reality is, the only way to get out in front of this ongoing issue is to build more schools and build them faster. Surrey parents and their children deserve schools, not permanent portables,” she said.

“We’re missing the mark and city hall, the school board, and the province need to work together to correct this issue that’s only growing every single year. Permanent portables are not acceptable. Portables should be temporary, but here in Surrey they have been part of the landscape.”

With files from Emily Marsten