B.C. NDP Leader David Eby made a campaign stop in Maple Ridge first thing Monday morning, pledging that his government would deliver an educational assistant in every K-to-Grade 3 classroom.
"In addition, we are committing to a mental health counsellor for each school," Eby added.
He also promised a future NDP government would build thousands of new child care spaces with $500 million in capital funding over two years, and a new school in Maple Ridge.
“Our kids deserve the very best. What we do for children in the early years helps to set them up for a lifetime of success,” said Eby. “Kids are dealing with challenges we could never have imagined–from being separated from friends during the pandemic to the pressure social media is placing on them. Our plan will help busy parents struggling to find care and teachers who are doing the best they can to get kids the support they need to thrive.”
The NDP leader was joined by party incumbents Lisa Beare (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows) and Bob D'Eith (Maple Ridge East) in the announcement at the Albion Community Centre.
No details of where the new Maple Ridge school would be located were included in the announcement. Eby's government has drawn criticism from BC Conservative candidate Mike Morden (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows) for such promises – the NDP announced a new Pitt Meadows secondary school during the last campaign, but construction has not yet started.
D'Eith clarified that the government would work with the school district on where the new school will be built.
"The main thing is to know that in a growing community like Maple Ridge, we're going to get a new school," said D'Eith.
Both constituencies lie in the belt of ridings in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley said to decide the provincial election. These swing ridings have swung back and forth between parties, but recently swung over to the B.C. NDP. Voters in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows elected Beare first in 2017, then again in 2020. Voters in the area also voted for the B.C. NDP in 1991 and 1996, then again in 2005 and 2009.
Maple Ridge East is technically a new riding, but covers much of the riding previously known as Maple Ridge-Mission. D'eith first won that riding in 2017 by little more than one per cent in defeating two-time MLA Marc Dalton, who now serves as the MP for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge. D'eith won the riding again in 2020 with 20 per cent cent.
