As part of the B.C.’s ongoing Seismic Mitigation Program, the province has committed more than $122 million for structural upgrades at 14 high-priority schools, including Aberdeen Elementary in Abbotsford.
The 14 projects are spread throughout 12 school districts. They represent top-ranked projects based on an updated assessment of seismic safety risk.Sections of Aberdeen date back to 1956.
“Ensuring our children’s schools are safe is of utmost importance,” said Michael de Jong, MLA for Abbotsford West.
“We all know the hazards of living in an active seismic zone, and these necessary upgrades will help make sure that in an event of an earthquake, our students will be protected.”
This project is part of a revised list of 152 high-priority schools to be addressed under the School Seismic Mitigation Program at an estimated total cost of $1.3 billion. Since 2001, the provincial government has spent more than $790 million on school seismic upgrades in 37 B.C. school districts.
School districts will work with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. and the Ministry of Education’s Seismic Mitigation Program to confirm scope, schedule and budgets for these projects prior to Ministry of Education approval of individual project agreements.