September 3,2025
RED FM News Desk
With expansion projects in some Surrey elementary schools now complete, 45 portables are no longer needed and must be removed.
While the Surrey School Board welcomes the added permanent space, it says the cost of removing the portables is beyond its budget. Board members are calling on the province to provide funding.
“We simply cannot afford it. Full stop,” said board chair Gary Tymoschuk. “We will not be moving those portables off the school sites until there’s sufficient funds to allow for that.”
Tymoschuk stressed the urgency, noting the portables occupy areas once used for playgrounds or teacher parking.
The board estimates it costs about $100,000 to remove each portable and argues this expense should not come from the district’s already tight operating budget.
“Our board decided two years ago at the budget table that we could no longer cover the cost of relocating or removing portables once they’re no longer needed. We just can’t afford it,” Tymoschuk said.
Despite recent expansions, Surrey schools are still using around 350 portables to accommodate high enrollment growth in the district.
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