Francophone students in the Smithers area are getting new school facilities on the former Chandler Park School site with help from prefabricated technologies.
École élémentaire La Grande-ourse was recently provided with $5 million from the province to build a five-unit school with gymnasium while long-term plans are made for a larger school building on the site.
The school offers French education for student from kindergarten to Grade 7 in the Smithers area.
“Francophone families in Smithers deserve to have access to education in French, one of Canada’s two official languages,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care
The school has been operating out of a leased facility beside Bulkley Valley Christain School since 2019, which formerly housed the Bulkley Valley Learning Centre.
“I am proud of the work we are doing to support Smithers’ francophone students and their families,” said Nathan Cullen, MLA for Stikine.
“Our government is taking significant and creative steps to ensure francophone students and their families in Smithers have a school of their own to call home.”
$2.1 million was provided to School District 93 to purchase the Third Avenue property in November.
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