Chiilliwack School District. (Image Credit: Mike Vanden Bosch)

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Formal consultation on draft plan to balance enrolment at some SD33 schools approved by Chilliwack trustees

Jan 29, 2026 | 8:44 AM

CHILLIWACK – Chilliwack school trustees have formally authorized SD33 staff to initiate a multi-phase public consultation on a draft plan to address capacity challenges at some public schools in Chilliwack.

The decision to initiate a months-long consultation occurred at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Chilliwack Board of Education.

According to a statement from SD33, the Chilliwack School District has been exploring for quite some time now options to balance school enrolment and capacity over the next decade.

Between 2016 and 2021, Chilliwack was the second-fastest growing municipality in all Canada. In just nine years, by 2035, the city’s population is expected to approach 135,000 residents. The district says this pace of population growth, combined with limited available land, is putting pressure on Chilliwack schools, especially at the middle and secondary school levels.

The public consultation period will run from January 28 through to April 10, 2026. Students, families, staff, and community members will have opportunities to provide feedback on the draft proposal before the Board makes any decisions. The draft plan and information on upcoming engagement opportunities is available at: www.letstalksd33.ca/facilities-and-enrolment-consultation-2026.

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“District staff have engaged with school communities over the past year and presented us with a well-informed draft plan. Now it’s important that the Board of Education hears feedback on the proposed solutions,” said Board Chair, David Swankey.

A final decision could come in June 2026. Any approved recommendations would be implemented in September 2027.

From January 2025 to early January 2026, the district says its staff convened 37 meetings with nearly 600 people including school staff, students, parents, and community partners to hear feedback on early ideas. The meetings involved 11 school communities. A What We Heard Report summarizes those conversations.

In 2023, the provincial government announced that it would build a new elementary school on Chilliwack’s east side, adding space for 500 K-5 students. Construction will be completed in Spring 2027, and the new school will open in September 2027.