A rendering of the proposed modular classrooms at Wellington Secondary School, which would add six new grade 8-12 classrooms with 150 new spaces, set to open in Jan. 2026. (SD68)

By Jordan Davidson

expanded space

Modular classrooms coming for space-strapped Nanaimo schools, timelines clarified

Jan 17, 2025 | 4:11 PM

NANAIMO — More information including a budget and timeline breakdown has been released related to adding a number of prefabricated modular classrooms to a pair of Nanaimo schools.

During the Jan 15 strategic directions committee meeting, secretary-treasurer of Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools (SD68) Mark Walsh laid out the details for the expansion of Chase River Elementary School and Wellington Secondary School.

Announced late last summer, 150 new spaces for grades 8-12 will be added to Wellington, with the province committing $9 million for the build.

“We would build the modulars and then at a later time, we would change the structure of some regular classroom instruction in the school itself to ensure there is sufficient specificity space,” said Walsh. “By adding six general instruction classrooms, and still having a couple of portables on-site, we are impacting their ability to provide some specialty areas.”

Walsh said these additional modular classrooms will put both schools at the capacity for expansion and any further growth would require a whole new plan.

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“The reality is that the site itself is not really sufficiently big enough that if we were to try to build it to 1,500 (students) as an example, we’re going to need all kinds of new amenities, and gym space, etc.”

The total cost of the Wellington addition is projected at over $7.3 million, with the plan to have students using the new classrooms in time for the second semester of the 2025/26 school year.

A map showing where the proposed modular classrooms for Wellington Secondary School would go. (SD68)

Chase River elementary (CRE) has been approved for five new modular classrooms, which would add 125 new spaces for students in kindergarten to grade 7 attending the south Nanaimo school.

Ministry of Education and Childcare officials approved $7.5 million for the project, with a current projected cost of over $6.5 million.

Walsh said CRE is in a similar situation as Wellington, as the site doesn’t provides limited additional space for further expansion beyond these modular additions.

“On the Chase front, it’s actually similar to Wellington in the fact that the site doesn’t actually provide much flexibility for anything else. And so, again, we’re kind of confident this is the end. If Chase needs more capacity, it’s going to come at a new site associated with Sandstone is what I would say.”

Walsh said they hope to have the new CRE classrooms open for classes in Sept. 2026.

Modular additions offer a faster, more affordable approach to addressing capacity needs which the province and local school districts are deploying to specific regions of need around B.C.

More information can be found here on the SD68 website.

Proposed rendering of additional modular classrooms at Chase River Elementary. (SD68)

A map showing where the proposed modular classrooms for Chase River Elemntary School would go. (SD68)

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