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Green Corner
The snow is melting, the weather is warmer and spring is finally here! What better time than now to dust off that bike seat, oil up those chains, strap on your helmet and start pedaling to school or work.
Start slow. If you have not been biking lately, start by taking your bike once or twice a week and work up to more days from there.
Find a Bike Buddy. You are more likely to bike to school or work more often if you have someone to join you. There is strength in numbers.
Use your bike for errands. If you add a carrier rack or basket, it makes more room to carry books, bags, groceries and goodies.
If you bike to school or work, you could easily save more than 1,500 litres of gasoline a year or about $1,500 a year. You would also be doing your part for emissions reductions and sustainability. Happy trails!
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Message from Minister Shirley Bond
During this time of economic uncertainty, this government is moving quickly to invest almost $14 billion in infrastructure projects in every region of the province. Budget 2009 includes a $14-billion investment to build and upgrade roads, schools, housing and hospitals around the province, creating new opportunities and up to 88,000 jobs. At the Ministry of Education, that means accelerating school capital projects and getting people working.
This week, we announced 21 capital projects worth almost $300 million that will create more than 1,500 jobs. Those announcements took place in Surrey, Coquitlam, Victoria, Kelowna, Vancouver, Squamish, Burnaby, New Westminster, and Vernon. Some of these projects are seismic upgrades and some are brand new schools, while others are replacement schools and repairs to existing schools. We are committed to ensuring students have the safest, most environmentally sound, and most modern facilities in which to learn.
Not only are we providing students with improved school facilities, we are also creating jobs and doing our part to stimulate the economy of British Columbia. In addition to creating 1,500 jobs, we are also using B.C. wood wherever possible which will help the province’s forest industry. Every job counts as we work together to rebuild our economy.
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ALBERNI DISTRICT SECONDARY BECOMES PART OF NEIGHBOURHOODS OF LEARNING INITIATIVE
(From L to R: Larry Ransom, Alberni Board of Education chair; Andy Ratte, student; Cam Pinkerton, Alberni superintendent; Antonia Botting, Neighbourhoods of Learning Committee representative( from Alberni Drug and Alcohol Prevention Service); Hon. Ron Cantelon, MLA for Nanaimo-Parksville; Mike Ruttan, principal of Alberni District Secondary School) News Release
The new Alberni District Secondary school in Port Alberni was designated a Neighbourhoods of Learning school on Friday, March 27. The new school will be built with space designed specifically to accommodate community use. The space can be used for early learning programs, seniors’ programs, family resource centres, sports space and health clinics. The Alberni school district will consult with community and education partners to determine which services can be offered on site to benefit students and the community. In other words, the new Alberni District Secondary school will become the hub of the community.
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HOT TOPIC
Here are the facts on Education funding to British Columbia’s public school system.
- The Ministry of Education budget alone this year is nearly $5.2 billion – a 27 per cent increase from 2000-01.
- That budget increase comes at a time when there is a declining enrolment of nearly 53,000 students since 2001.
- $4.551 billion in estimated operating funding in 2009-10 – an $84-million increase from
2008-09.
- $8,323 in estimated per student funding in 2009-10 – the highest ever, a $205 increase from 2008-09 and $2,107 more since 2000-01.
- Close to $1.3-billion increase to B.C. public schools since 2000-01: $873 million in operating grants and $407 million in one-time grants.
- Total funding for students with special needs is now nearly three quarters of a billion dollars each year.
- $1.5 billion is being invested to seismically upgrade schools; the most comprehensive seismic plan ever undertaken by a B.C. government.
- Since 2001, government has spent more than $1.4 billion to complete 73 new and replacement schools, 147 additions, 25 renovation projects and 20 site acquisitions across B.C.
- By the end of 2008-09, the Province will have committed more than $3.1 billion in school capital and maintenance projects across B.C. since 2001.
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