The province is promising $122 million for seismic upgrades at 14 high priority schools, while nearly 140 other schools also deemed highly vulnerable in a major earthquake will wait in line behind them.
Schools slated for upgrades include South Delta Secondary in Delta, Aberdeen Elementary in Abbotsford, Alpha Secondary in Burnaby, Banting Middle School in Coquitlam, Argyle Secondary in North Vancouver, C.E. Barry Intermediate in Hope and École des Pionniers in Port Coquitlam. Three other schools in Vancouver and three more on Vancouver Island were also identified.
The projects were picked from most-recent district capital plans and represent top-ranked projects based on an updated assessment of seismic safety risk, according to the province.
But they represent less than 10 per cent of the 152 high-priority schools now identified on a revised list for upgrades under the School Seismic Mitigation Program. (See complete list below.)
The estimated cost of repairs to all high-priority schools is pegged at $1.3 billion.
Some old schools slated for upgrades were built more than a half century ago when seismic risks weren't well understood.
"This is the next step in our ongoing and comprehensive program to make B.C. schools safe in the event of a major earthquake," Education Minister George Abbott said.
He said the aim is to get all 152 high-risk schools retrofitted or replaced over the next five to 10 years.
A technical team led by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. have been working to refine risk assessments and response strategies at UBC's Earthquake Engineering Research Facility.
"Since the onset of the Seismic Mitigation Program in 2005, we have learned more about the nature of earthquakes, how structures behave during these kinds of events, and how to predict their behaviour," facility director Carlos Ventura said.
The province is exploring options to provide more money for non-structural safety improvement at medium- and low-ranked schools starting in 2013.
B.C. has spent $790 million on school seismic upgrades over the past decade.
So far, work is either beginning, underway or complete on 137 seismic upgrade projects across the province.
SCHOOLS NOW RANKED HIGH PRIORITY IN REVISED ASSESSMENT
See PDF list of 152 high-priority schools
Abbotsford
Aberdeen Elementary (now proceeding)Clearbrook ElementaryKing Traditional ElementaryYale Secondary AbbottsfordBurnaby
Alpha Secondary (now proceeding)Armstrong ElementaryBurnaby North SecondaryCascade Heights ElementaryGlenwood ElementaryKitchener ElementaryMarlborough ElementaryMaywood CommunityMontecito ElementaryMoscrop Jr. SecondaryParkcrest ElementaryRosser ElementarySeaforth ElementaryStoney Creek ElementaryStride Avenue ElementaryCoquitlam
Banting Middle (now proceeding)Cedar Drive ElementaryDr. Charles Best SecondaryGlenayre ElementaryHillcrest MiddleIrvine ElementaryMaple Creek MiddleMary Hill ElementaryMinnekhada MiddleMontgomery MiddlePort Moody ElementaryDelta
South Delta Secondary (now proceeding)Delta SecondaryGibson ElementaryHope
C.E. Barry Intermediate (now proceeding)Langley
Brookswood SecondaryD.W. Poppy SecondaryH.D. Stafford SecondaryLangley SecondaryMountain SecondaryShortreed CommunityMaple Ridge-Pitt Meadows
Fairview ElementaryWestview SecondaryMission
Mission SecondaryNorth Vancouver
Argyle Secondary (now proceeding)Balmoral Jr. SecondaryHandsworth SecondaryWindsor SecondaryPort Coquitlam
École des Pionniers (now proceeding) - SD 93Richmond
Donald e. McKay ElementaryJames Gilmore ElementaryJames Thompson ElementaryManoah Steves ElementaryQuilchena Elementary
Surrey
Bear Creek ElementaryDavid Brankin ElementaryJ.T. Brown ElementaryMary Jane Shannon ElementaryPrince Charles ElementaryQueen Elizabeth SecondaryHolly ElementaryGeorge Greenaway Elementary Vancouver
Dr. George M. Weir Elementary (now proceeding)Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith (now proceeding)Sir Wilfred Grenfell Community (now proceeding)Admiral Seymour ElementaryBayview Community ElementaryBritannia Community SecondaryCarnarvon CommunityChamplain Heights CommunityChief Maquinna ElementaryDavid Livingstone ElementaryDavid Lloyd George ElementaryDavid Thompson SecondaryDr. A.R. Lord ElementaryDr. H.N. MacCorkindale ElementaryDr. Annie B. Jamieson ElementaryEdith Cavell ElementaryEmily Carr ElementaryEric Hamber SecondaryFalse Creek ElementaryFlorence Nightingale ElementaryG.T. Cunningham ElementaryGeneral Brock ElementaryGeneral Wolfe ElementaryGladstone SecondaryGraham Bruce CommunityGrandview ElementaryHenry Hudson ElementaryJohn Henderson ElementaryKillarney SecondaryKing George SecondaryLord Beaconsfield ElementaryLord Byng SecondaryLord Selkirk AnnexLord Selkirk ElementaryLord Tennyson ElementaryMaple Grove ElementaryMount Pleasant ElementaryNootka Community ElementaryPoint Grey SecondaryPrince of Wales SecondaryQueen Alexandra ElementaryQueen Elizabeth AnnexQueen Elizabeth ElementaryQueen Victoria AnnexQuilchena ElementaryRenfrew Community ElementarySir Alexander MacKenzie ElementarySir John Franklin CommunitySir Richard McBride AnnexSir William MacDonald ElementarySir William Osler ElementarySir Winston Churchill SecondarySouthlands ElementaryTempleton SecondaryThunderbird ElementaryTillicum ElementaryWaverley AnnexWaverley ElementaryWindermere Community SecondaryEcole Anne Hebert Conseil scolaire francophone (SD 93)Greater Victoria
Quadra Elementary (now proceeding)Arbutus MiddleBraefoot ElementaryCedar Hill Jr. SecondaryCraigflower ElementaryGeorge Jay ElementaryLambrick Park SecondaryMacAulay ElementaryReynolds SecondaryShoreline Community MiddleTillicum Elementary
Vancouver Island
Sangster Elementary (now proceeding)Deep Cove Elementary (now proceeding)Georges P. Vanier Secondary (now proceeding)C.E. Barry Intermediate (now proceeding)École des Pionniers (now proceeding)Dunsmuir Middle SookeRuth King Elementary SookeWillway Elementary SookeChildren’s Development Centre Saanich (SD 63)Cordova Bay Elementary Saanich (SD 63)Keating Elementary Saanich (SD 63)Lochside Elementary Saanich (SD 63)Fernwood Elementary Gulf Islands (SD 64)Brechin Elementary Nanaimo-Ladysmith (SD 68)Cilaire Elementary Nanaimo-Ladysmith (SD 68)Departure Bay Elementary Nanaimo-Ladysmith (SD 68)North Cedar Intermediate Nanaimo-Ladysmith (SD 68)Pleasant Valley Elementary Nanaimo-Ladysmith (SD 68)Wickaninnish Community Alberni (SD 70)A.B. Greenwell Elementary Cowichan Valley (SD 79)Cowichan Secondary Cowichan Valley (SD 79)Koksilah Elementary Cowichan Valley (SD 79)