BC Invests $52M in Ladysmith Schools

0:00It's April 8th. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. British Columbia's Infrastructure Minister Bowen Maugh hit Lady Smith this week, with a major announcement, $52 million to replace Lady Smith. Intermediate school and expand Lady Smith primary. The Intermediate Rebuild costs $37 million, while the primary addition runs up to $15 million, all using speedy prefabricated construction. This new intermediate will transform into a kindergarten through 7th grade primary school. The province's first fully prefab permanent one. It'll rise on the older Cole Davis Road Elementary site, which shut down back in June 2014. Construction kicks off spring 2027. With doors opening fall 2029, boosting seats from 330 to 390. Local leaders are hiked. Lady Smith Mayor Dean Abiston called it a milestone for the town's growth, and school district chair Naomi Bailey said they're elated over the extra.

1:00Space. These upgrades mean safer, greener buildings feeding into Lady Smith's secondary for grades 8 through 12. Meanwhile, Lady Smith primary gets 10 new classrooms for 250 seats in a two-story add-on, starting this fall and ready by fall 2027, complete with special ed space and an elevator. The new intermediate hits LED gold status, slashing emissions up to 81%. Planning continues for the old intermediate site, but this fits the province's push over $7 billion invested since 2017 for nearly $47,000 new seats, province-wide, including over $1,000 in the Nanaimo Lady Smith district. Lady Smith wins for kids and communities ahead.