Minister hopes prefabrication expands further to new school builds

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The new 390-seat school budgeted at $37 million is expected to open in 2029 to replace the existing long-closed Ecole Davis Rd. School site.

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A two-storey, 250-seat addition to Ladysmith Primary School will also be prefabricated, involving a budget of $15 million, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

Ma expected prefabrication for entire new school builds in the province to involve modular sections for classrooms and “tilt-up” concrete panels for larger spaces for gymnasiums and libraries.

She said it’s unclear how extensively prefabrication would factor into entire new school projects in B.C.

Since 2023, the B.C. government has funded prefabricated additions to dozens of schools across the province to create faster and budget-friendly outcomes.

Ma told NanaimoNewsNOW the off-site building technology is designed to provide 50-year lifespans, similar to traditional construction projects.

“Pretty much every single prefabricated school addition project that we’ve had in the province; it is virtually indistinguishable from a regular school expansion to anyone walking by,” she said.

The minister said prefabrication’s flexibility fits well for school expansions, pointing to the ability to fully integrate additions into existing facilities if desired.

“Some school districts will have them connect through the main school through a walkway, some school districts will have the additions separate annexes, and other school district’s will actually open up a wall in the school and provide basically a direct access into the main school.”

A statement from School District 68 noted the Ladysmith school projects are the only existing planned prefabricated projects in the district.

SD68 informed NanaimoNewsNOW that construction will be completed by the late spring or summer for ongoing prefabricated additions to Wellington Secondary School and Chase River Elementary School.

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