B.C. gov’t providing $5 million for accessible playgrounds

B.C. school districts can look forward to an extra stipend in their budget for 2025.

The provincial Ministry of Infrastructure announced that it will send an additional $200,000 to 25 school districts to fund the construction of new accessible school playgrounds.

“Creating safe, accessible spaces for children to play is crucial for our communities,” said Bowinn Ma, minister of infrastructure.

“Playgrounds are more than just places to play; they are spaces where children make friends, build confidence, and create memories,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care.

“The new playgrounds we are announcing today will provide communities throughout B.C. with safe, accessible, and inclusive spaces for kids and families to enjoy for years to come.”

According to a release, the NDP government has already invested $45 million during the previous six years in over 300 schools across British Columbia. With that money, every school district got to build at least one playground, which benefited more than 77,000 students.

The province has also approved over $6 billion for hundreds of school capital projects, including seismic upgrades, since 2017. Through these investments, school districts purchased almost 30 properties for future school sites in developing communities across the province, which created nearly 43,000 new student spaces.