Harrison Hot Springs Elementary (HHSE) will be part of a larger $3-million initiative from the province to improve air quality in B.C. schools.
Minister of international development and minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada Harjit S. Sajjan as well as Minister of education and childcare Rachna Signh announced a $3.2-million investment to improve ventilation systems in five elementary and secondary schools across the province.
HHSE, schools in Chilliwack and the District of 100 Mile House will get air handling units replaced as well as rooftop air conditioning units. These improvements will increase air intake and make ventilation systems more efficient, thereby improving health, comfort and safety for those inside the schools.
RELATED: Harrison, Seabird Island fire halls get rennovation funding
“Our government understands the importance of providing students and school staff with modern and safe classrooms,” Singh stated. “The Federal Government’s continued partnership and investment in the maintenance of our schools adds to our provincial commitment to make sure that students in B.C. are learning in the best possible environments.”
Two schools in Abbotsford – Rick Hansen Secondary and Terry Fox Elementary – will receive funding to replace heat pumps, a chiller and digital control upgrades to simplify heating and cooling in the schools’ HVAC systems. Like the air handling unit upgrades, these improvements will also improve energy consumption and efficiency.
The federal government is providing $2.6 million of the funding while B.C. is contributing $653,000. The federal funding comes from the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Through Investing in Canada, the federal government will invest more than $180 billion over 12 years in infrastructure, public transit, social, transportation and rural communities.
Locally, this same program funded renovations and upgrades for fire halls in Harrison Hot Springs and the Seabird Island First Nation community. The provincial and federal governments provided a total of $750,000 to renovate the fire halls, adding seismic reinforcement to the Harrison hall and a washroom, shower and training space to the Seabird Island facility.
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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