The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school district will need 80 new classrooms in 15 years, with estimated growth of almost 2,000 additional students, the board of trustees heard at their Jan. 14 meeting.
The board reviewed a residential development report, which was completed in the fall of 2025, and shows the coming demand for classroom space in the district. There are currently about 17,000 students of all ages in the district.
Trustees heard that there will be 12,000 new residential units built over the next 15 years – the majority being apartments in Maple Ridge, with concentrated growth in transit corridors and the Maple Ridge town centre area. The estimate is 1,954 more students from this new housing.
The report anticipates the need for 80 new classrooms as a result, with the largest enrolment impacts being at Eric Langton and Maple Ridge Elementary schools.
A new Eric Langton Elementary is already under construction. It will cost an estimated $46 million, and will have a capacity of 680 students, replacing the current school that has room for 440 students.
“The data from this report will help inform future school site proposals and capital planning decisions that the board considers annually, including long‑term planning for new school sites, new schools, and school expansions,” said board Chair Elaine Yamamoto.
She said the growth is not a real surprise, but is larger than had been anticipated in the district’s Strategic Facilities Plan in 2022.
“Since then, we’ve seen higher‑than‑projected enrolment growth and new municipal and provincial housing initiatives that are accelerating development,” said Yamamoto. “The purpose of this report is to help us respond proactively to those potential changes. It represents a planning scenario, not a confirmed outcome, and it helps ensure we are prepared if this level of growth materializes.”
“How that need is addressed — whether through new schools, additions, or other strategies — will depend on where growth occurs, the age distribution of students, and future funding decisions by the province,” said the board chair. “Those options will be explored through subsequent planning and capital submissions.”
Some districts respond to rapid growth with pre-built portable classrooms. Yamamoto said they only work as an interim measure.
“Portables are one of the options districts use to respond to short‑term or localized enrolment pressure, but they are not a long‑term substitute for permanent capacity where sustained growth exists,” she said. “The report itself does not recommend specific solutions. Our goal is to plan early so that, where possible, long‑term solutions can be pursued rather than relying heavily on temporary measures.”
She said the report strengthens the district’s long‑range planning evidence, and aligns with Education Ministry guidelines for capital planning. It will be used to support future capital plan submissions. Any requests to the ministry for new schools or expansions would be brought forward through the established capital planning process and prioritized based on enrolment pressure, site readiness, and provincial criteria.