Article By Janet Steffenhagen

B.C. school districts are disposing of surplus property at an unprecedented rate as they wrestle with declining student numbers, shifting populations and tight budgets. According to B.C.’s Finance Ministry, 18 school properties around the province were sold during the last 12 months. A similar number are still on the market, awaiting buyers or long-term lessees.

North Vancouver, with its high cost of housing, has been particularly hard hit by demographic changes. The number of students attending public schools has dipped by about 15% since 2001, and that’s prompted the district to declare 10 former schools and a curriculum centre as surplus.

Of those, two sales are in the process of being finalized: a $6.4 million bid by MorningstarDevelopment Ltd., a Polygon affiliate, for Monterey elementary and one for $5 million from Anthem Properties for Ridgeway annex. Continue Reading