Hamber’s SMP is temporarily on hold. As summarized in our recent letter to the VSB trustees, the estimated increased cost to build a basic school is $15m, (or $21m if you include the unallocated $6m NLC funds that were included in the original budget). This would bring the total cost to build a basic school (no auditorium, reduced spaces for the arts, athletics, library, storage) to $94.3m.

The VSB has put forward a request to the Ministry of Education for additional funds to cover the estimated increased cost only; they did not ask for funds for an auditorium or any of the other spaces we need.

Over the last several months, PAC members have met with local MLAs and VSB trustees. Everyone is supportive of the arts and athletics and agree that the new Hamber should have the necessary facilities to support its flourishing arts and athletics programs; however, at this point no one is willing to fund it.

The Ministry of Education and the Provincial Treasury Board will determine the fate of Eric Hamber’s seismic mitigation project in the very near future. There is a chance that they will decide not to build a new school, and instead upgrade the existing school.

Hamber PAC