Growth — Planning for Growing Communities Through Long-Term, Sustainable School Infrastructure
Northeast Coquitlam faces several significant and persistent challenges regarding school locations, including chronic capacity, long and lags bus/commute burdens, and cross catchment issues.While we fight for systemic funding changes, we must tightly manage the major capital projects currently underway to ensure they are delivered on time.
Actionable Steps:
1. Holding the Line on Current Projects
Hazel Trembath Elementary School replacement project. For about 225-250 students. Construction is scheduled to begin July 2026 with completion and move in date of December 2027. Grateful for the 39 million in funding, however we did not forward think to rebuild a new structure that could potentially accommodate future growth or other community needs.
Burke Mountain Secondary School project will see 1,000 students in Grades 6 – 12 enrolled for the 2026-2027 school year. As a temporary solution to relieve the overcrowding and cross catchment issues surrounding the area. The school will house both the secondary and middle students until the middle school is built.
We must ensure that these major projects are delivered on time, with minimal disruption to our families.
2. High Priority - New School Approvals - Burke Mountain and Marigold
Securing capital funding from the provincial government is highly competitive, but the Tri-Cities cannot afford to wait. To build complete, thriving communities, we must aggressively pursue funding allocations that are sufficient to support our massive population growth and fund our high-priority projects.
Actionable Steps:
I will advocate for funding for school budgets to be integrated alongside roads, parks, and utilities right from the start of city planning., This is to ensure that a community's actual needs are baked into the foundation of its growth. I will push to incorporate flexibility in the build that provides alternative resources that support solutions for ever changing needs.
"Northeast Coquitlam Middle School: A planned 600-capacity middle school to permanently separate the joint Burke Mountain high school facility.
Marigold (Partington Creek) Elementary: A proposed 450-capacity elementary school in North Coquitlam.
3. The Moody Elementary Blueprint: Smart Infrastructure Built Right
The recently completed Moody Elementary replacement project is a perfect model of what successful capital planning looks like for our district. This seismic replacement essentially functioned as a brand-new facility, to directly address Port Moody’s massive transit-oriented high-rise densification.
What makes Moody Elementary a success story?
Increased Capacity: Expanded to a modern, 16-classroom facility holding 385 students.
Integrated Community Spaces: Features a neighborhood learning centre with 60 brand-new, licensed childcare spaces.
Sustainability Leadership: Built with rooftop solar panels and modern heat pumps.
True advocacy means taking proven success stories like Moody Elementary and demanding that same level of excellence for our growing neighborhoods on Burke Mountain and in North Coquitlam. Our kids deserve complete schools from day one.
