July 10, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Two New Westminster School Board trustees are calling on the B.C. government to immediately provide full funding for a new mandate requiring all schools in the province to install automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and naloxone kits. While supporting the life-saving potential of these tools, trustees Kathleen Carlsen and Danielle Connelly argue that the province is unfairly burdening already underfunded school boards with another “unfunded mandate.”
“Once again, the provincial government has made a health and safety announcement without the funding to back it up,” said Trustee Kathleen Carlsen. She noted that while their district already has some AEDs, the ongoing costs for training and upkeep are not covered, meaning districts will have to divert funds from existing educational programs.
The directive for AEDs and naloxone kits was quietly issued by Education Minister Lisa Beare on June 30. Secondary schools are required to comply by December 2025, with elementary and middle schools following by September 2026. The Ministry has confirmed that no dedicated funding will be provided, expecting districts to use their existing operating budgets.
“This is part of a troubling trend,” stated Trustee Danielle Connelly. “We continue to see the provincial government announce new programs without ensuring school districts have the resources to actually deliver them.” Connelly also expressed concerns about the timing of the announcement, released in mid-summer after school budgets had already been approved, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
The trustees are urging the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to fully fund the purchase, installation, and maintenance of AEDs and naloxone kits, cover training costs for staff who will be expected to administer emergency response, end the pattern of downloading provincially mandated health, education, and social programs onto local education budgets.
“We are proud of how our district continues to rise to the challenge, but the province must stop expecting local School boards to do more with less,” Carlsen concluded.
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