The NOW asked each Burnaby candidate to answer 10 questions ahead of the provincial election on Oct. 19.
We will be publishing candidate answers by question daily.
Answers by candidates who participated are listed in alphabetical order by surname.
Question: Schools being built in Burnaby are already full by the time they open. Should the province change policy to fund school capital projects based on projected population growth? Why or why not?
Reah Arora - BC NDP (Burnaby East)
We need to use every modern tool to help manage growth in a smart way. That means ensuring that infrastructure is built as our communities grow. The capital funding plan program for schools does look at 10 year forecasts and includes that future expansion within the budgeting. We’ve made huge investments with 125 new, expanded, and seismically upgraded schools built or underway across the province, are making record investments over the next 3 years, and will continue to invest.
Despite that massive investment, people want to live in Burnaby and that means we’re seeing rapid growth beyond our projections. I’m absolutely committed to advocating to make sure that Burnaby gets the capital funding it needs to ensure there’s a classroom for every student. Classrooms also need to have an appropriate number of students, and we currently have the smallest class sizes in a decade and the resources we’re providing through in school meals and playgrounds, make sure kids have what they need to focus on learning and thrive.
Simon Chandler - Conservative Party of BC (Burnaby East)
The Conservative Party of BC is committed to ensuring that areas under densification will have access to essential services. We will amend Bill 47 to ensure that new communities will have essential services within Transit Oriented Density Areas.
Meiling Chia - Unaffiliated (Burnaby South-Metrotown)
As a proud two-term Burnaby school trustee, I understand the critical importance of addressing our educational needs. It's evident that we require more schools to provide quality education, ensuring ample space for all students. We have the tools to project community growth, and it’s essential for the Province to collaborate closely with the city to develop recommendations that align with these growth projections. By working together, we can ensure that our educational infrastructure meets the demands of our expanding communities.
Paul Choi - BC NDP (Burnaby South-Metrotown)
We want our children to have the best start possible when it comes to their education. Over the past seven years, the BC NDP government has invested in new, expanded and seismically safer schools in Burnaby, with more than $250 million committed to projects. Nelson Elementary School here in Burnaby South - Metrotown, for example, is getting a four-classroom prefabricated addition, adding 100 new student seats to the school.
In addition, the BC NDP has hired over 5,700 new teachers and achieved the smallest class sizes in a decade. There are over 125 new, expanded or seismically upgraded schools built or underway, impacting 70,000 kids students in the province. John Rustad would cancel school construction, increase class size and fire teachers - just like he did before.
Raj Chouhan - BC NDP (Burnaby-New Westminster)
We all want our kids to have better opportunities than we did, and that's why David Eby and the BC NDP are building new and expanded schools. We have hired over 5,700 new teachers and achieved the smallest class sizes in a decade, giving our kids more space and more attention to help them learn. As we plan for new housing it's important that your provincial government build strong relationships with municipalities and school boards, and that your government actually be willing to fund new schools. John Rustad and his Conservative Party have a plan to increase class sizes by 20%. Cramming more kids into the classroom would set our kids back. This is no surprise because it is exactly what Rustad did before. 267 schools were closed under his watch. As we build more homes, we must build new schools to match growth. We also know schools are more than just buildings, so we are expanding lunch programs for all children to reduce family grocery bills and increasing support for students in the critical kindergarten to grade 3 years by staffing each classroom with an education assistant full-time to support complex needs.
Anne Kang - BC NDP (Burnaby Centre)
This is a conversation that I have been a part of as a representative for Burnaby residents on various levels; as a teacher, a city councillor, and an MLA. I support advocating to change the capital projects policy to consider the forecast of projected population growth. The rationale provided by the public services as to why it is not currently done is understandable, but it does not consider the 16 years of under-investment in infrastructure by the previous government and the rapidly increased population growth that Burnaby has recently experienced. The BC NDP has made historic investments in capital projects such as the 125 new, expanded, and seismically upgraded schools built or underway for more than 70,000 students. More is on the way, with a record capital project budget over the next three years. This is more than what Rustad and the previous government did in their 16 years, and it’s necessary to ensure that students thrive.
Martin Kendell - Independent (Burnaby North)
The BC Liberal and BCNDP governments of the past 25 years have made grievous mistakes when it comes to planning elementary and secondary school capacities to match the large amount of population growth in North Burnaby due to the construction of dozens of high-rise apartments near the Gilmore and Brentwood Skytrain stations. As a result, the BCNDP has been scrambling like crazy over the past 24 months to build prefabricated additions to the majority of schools in the riding that are already bursting at the seams.
The provincial government needs to communicate more effectively with municipal governments to make sure that appropriately sized schools are ready to go in parts of this municipality that are currently undergoing major development. We must also invest in the proper training and compensation of teachers, administrators and educational aides to make sure all students are adequately supported.
As well, any new or renovated schools should have state of the art ventilation systems in order to slow the spread of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia and COVID, and help keep students, teachers and their respective families happier and healthier.
Han Lee - Conservative Party of BC (Burnaby South-Metrotown)
Yes, the province should absolutely fund school capital projects based on projected population growth. Current policies have left schools overcrowded by the time they open, which impacts the quality of education. Our government will ensure that school infrastructure keeps pace with housing developments and population increases. By working with local school boards and planners, we can ensure new schools are built where they’re needed, before overcrowding becomes a problem.
Carrie McLaren - BC Green Party (Burnaby South-Metrotown)
YES, Cities use forward projections when planning their OCP, so too schools need to be planned with future growth of students in mind. It’s far less expensive to build now then it will be in the future, and the need for portables need to be avoided in the first place.
Janet Routledge - BC NDP (Burnaby North)
Burnaby is growing quickly, and we’re committed to working with school boards and municipalities to find a solution that works, while remaining accountable to current taxpayers. We’re looking for innovative solutions, like the modular construction model developed right here in Burnaby in collaboration with DPAC and SD41, which allows us to build school expansions in weeks, rather than years, and at a much lower cost than traditional construction. When John Rustad was in government, his party closed 267 schools, and he’s already announced his plan to increase class sizes by 20%.
Tara Shustarian - BC Green Party (Burnaby East)
The future lies in the education of today’s youth. While it is easiest to simply allocate tax dollars where they will do the most good for the most people, the idea of chasing population growth alone is not the only answer but a major part of it. The taxpayers of Burnaby would like to see provincial funding, that they have fairly contributed toward, to come back to Burnaby to be invested in its school capital projects. My job when elected will be to have as much of that provincial money brought back home to Burnaby. I think population growth is a clear indicator of how many people choose to make this municipality their home and stay. People argue , well what will happen if school enrolment drops in the future? We are always in need of community space for meetings and gatherings. The school premises can be used for a multitude of programs for seniors, youth clubs etc. The intergenerational interaction can be a most invaluable asset in our society where we are seeing anxiety due to social isolation and not developing adequate social skills.
