COQUITLAM - A re-elected BC NDP government will build a new middle school for students in the Burke Mountain neighbourhood, complementing the new 1,000 seat secondary school that is nearing completion.

“Parents and grandparents here still remember the last time conservative politicians were in government they closed eight schools in Coquitlam,” said Jodie Wickens, BC NDP Candidate for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. “The BC Conservatives have already said education would be on the chopping block again. The BC NDP is investing in the schools we need to keep up with our growing communities.”

The BC Conservatives have $5 billion of uncosted promises in their platform, and have refused to explain how they would pay for them, however their candidate Tony Luck said that education and healthcare “are going to have to take the brunt” of their aggressive budget cuts.

The last time conservative politicians were in power in the BC Liberal government, they closed more than 250 schools across B.C., including eight schools in the Coquitlam School District.

Since 2017, the BC NDP has more than 250 new or upgraded schools complete or underway across the province. That includes 11 new capital projects for schools in the Coquitlam School District, which means 2,600 new seats and 1,375 seismically safer seats for students. Eight of the projects are complete, including the recent addition at École Dr. Charles Best Secondary.