Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / PML / The B.C. government announced Thursday (Nov. 17) that the 450-seat expansion at G.W. Graham Secondary is now complete, giving the school a total capacity of 1,400 seats.
G.W. Graham expansion

G.W. Graham expansion complete, giving the school capacity for 1,400 students

Nov 17, 2022 | 9:18 AM

CHILLIWACK — The B.C. government announced Thursday (Nov. 17) that a 450-seat addition has been completed at G.W. Graham Secondary School, marking the fourth school in Chilliwack that has been expanded or built in the past five years.

“It’s so exciting to see another expansion project completed in Chilliwack, supporting student learning in modern and inspiring environments,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education and Child Care. “This is the fourth new or expanded school that we have completed in Chilliwack since 2017, showing our government’s commitment to providing students with beneficial learning environments.”

In a news release, the province touted the expansion as an expanded, enlarged venue for students to learn thanks to a $23.9 million capital investment from the B.C. government.

The recently-completed addition added 450 seats to the school, bringing the total capacity to 1,400 seats and eliminating the need for eight portables. The addition will help the district keep pace with enrolment as residential development in Sardis continues to grow. Chilliwack was the second-fastest growing city in all of Canada between 2016 and 2021, behind only Kelowna. Chilliwack’s census metropolitan area population is estimated at 113,767 as of 2021.

“Our government is working hard to support families in Chilliwack, and one of the ways we’re doing that is by investing in schools,” said Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent. “The addition at G.W. Graham Secondary will give parents peace of mind that there is space for their kids at schools close to home.”

The addition at G.W. Graham Secondary is a part of $100 million in investments made by government since 2017 to improve schools for students, families and staff in Chilliwack, the government asserted in the news release. Other investments include the Stitó:s Lá:lém Totí:lt Elementary/Middle school, a 240-seat addition at Vedder Elementary, and the Imagine High Integrated Arts and Technology Secondary school that opened in September 2021. More than 2,200 seats have been added to the Chilliwack School District as a result of these investments.

“It’s exciting to see the opening of this beautiful new addition,” said Willow Reichelt, chair of the Chilliwack School District Board of Education. “We appreciate the provincial government’s continued investments in permanent learning spaces for our rapidly growing district.”

Since September 2017, the Government of B.C. has announced $3 billion for new and improved schools, as well as land purchases for future schools throughout the province. This includes adding almost 20,000 new student spaces and 32,000 seismically safer seats at B.C. schools.

Budget 2022 includes $3.1 billion for school capital projects over the next three years, including new and expanded schools, seismic upgrades and replacements, and land purchases for future schools.