The site of the coming French-language school in Sechelt has been purchased.
As part of a project with Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique (CSF), the province provided $6.46 million to buy property for a permanent location for the École du Pacifique, at the west end of Medusa Street.
In a news release, Minister Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care said, “We’re committed to continuing to work with the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique to ensure students in Sechelt and throughout B.C. have access to quality education. This investment is the next step towards a permanent school that will welcome students in the future.”
Currently, École du Pacifique provides space for its students through the cooperation of other schools. Students in Kindergarten through Grade 7 use facilities leased through Sunshine Coast School District 46 at Sechelt Elementary, while students in Grades 8-12 have a classroom space available at Chatelech Secondary School.
In a followup email, the Ministry of Education and Childcare said, “Purchasing a site for a future school is one way to provide certainty for francophone learners and their families that they will have access to education in French for generations to come.“
The ministry also included that the school is still in early development and that a timeline will be known once the district is further into its planning process.
In the news release, Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast said, “This is an important step in building a new École du Pacifique.” He then added, “I’m pleased to see the site is secured in a permanent location, giving Sunshine Coast families the confidence that they will have access to high-quality French education through the B.C. education system.”
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
