Mission is going to get a new secondary school.
MLAs Pam Alexis and Bob D’Eith were at the Mission School Board office on Friday (March 10) afternoon to announce that students in Mission will benefit from a new, safer and larger school, as funding has been allocated to replace Mission Secondary School.
“When I was a school trustee, between 2005 and 2011, I watched schools in our community close. As an MLA in government, however, Bob D’Eith and I have been working hard with the community, school board, and parents to fix this, and improve education for our kids,” said Alexis, MLA for Abbotsford-Mission.
Alexis said she’s “overjoyed” because she knows “the change it is going to make for kids and community and this has been on the table for a long, long time.”
She thanked the many people and parents who have advocated for the new school.
“All we are doing is growing and this will really, in my opinion, make Mission more competitive and really showcase the good things that have been going on for years.”
The NDP Government’s 2023 budget makes record investments in capital infrastructure and within that budget’s capital envelope is money earmarked for a new secondary school for Mission, pending approval of the school district’s business plan.
“People in Mission need this high school replacement to make sure their kids are safe, and that we can accommodate our growing community,” said D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission. “I have been proud to advocate for this project since being elected here in Mission and myself and Pam have been happy to work alongside a dedicated school board, local government, and with our colleagues in government to make sure this comes to fruition.”
D’Eith added that he is pleased the “funding for the high school is in the Budget 2023 capital plan so that the School Board can move to the next stage of development.”
The school board will now work with the Ministry to develop a business plan, the scope of the project, public consultation and all of the things that need to be determined before shovels go into the ground.
D’Eith said there is no point in speculating exactly when construction will begin as there is more work to be done.
“We’ve got it in the capital plan and then there will be a series of announcements as the details come forward.”
Mission School Board Chair Shelly Carter said she and the board are “so excited to hear about the province’s commitment to building a full replacement for Mission Secondary School.”
“This much-needed investment means a lot to our students, their parents, and our broader community. This new school is a testament to the advocacy and work that’s been – and continues to be – done to ensure that Mission students get the infrastructure and resources they need to succeed.”