Schools across Canada struggling with overcrowded classrooms
In Syria, British Columbia, population growth has meant 2400 extra school children just in the last two years. Many local schools just don’t have enough spots, forcing tough choices. We’re closing catchment areas for students who are actually living in the catchment for the school. And so we have families who in some cases could be living across the street and unfortunately that there’s just no space in the building. Some high schools will move to an extended school day in the fall to run more classes and accommodate more kids. With a big impact on families, you know, my 16 year old, we really need her to start helping with the driving. So yeah, there’s going to be a big impact when she goes to Extended day and she won’t be able to go get her sister. It’s not just happening in Surrey. In Edmonton, enrollment is growing at a rate not seen in 60 years. In Peterborough ON some schools are between 120 and 200% over capacity. I think immigration is a huge driver, this urban planner who’s working with school board says. There are many factors behind this growth, including increased density in school catchments, more people having to live, I think in medium density townhouses or apartments. Rather than low density houses, largely because of affordability, One of the quickest solutions is portables. But they should only be used in short term, says this expert. Portables tend to have levels of mold, some problems with ventilation, air quality, in some cases even pests. Now, building more schools may seem like an obvious solution, but it’s a lengthy and complicated process. School boards need to prove that they’re overcrowded to get more funding to build new schools. The time a school is built, it’s often already full. Deanna Sumanak Johnson, CBC News, Toronto.