Parents’ Feedback: There seems to be a lingering renovation smell around the school. Were there any air quality tests prior to school opening?
School’s Response: Be advised that throughout construction, the entire building had exterior doors open and fans running to ensure air quality was maintained. The new HVAC system has been running the new units consistently for balancing and commissioning purposes.
No third-party testing of indoor air quality of the overall was conducted. Spot tests were completed by hazmat contractor after each abatement. We follow the guidelines from the Ministry of Education and public health officials, please see this link for more information https://sd38.bc.ca/our-district/facilities-services/ventilation/. All occupied spaces within the building have mechanical ventilation. While district standard is to use low-VOC materials, and with the daily pre-occupancy flush, this will remove any off-gassing that occurs from any materials used in construction.
A full hazardous materials assessment was conducted prior to the commencement of renovation work, as required by WorkSafe BC and the City of Richmond. From October through December 2025, the district completed a hazardous materials abatement that removed any identified hazardous materials that would be disturbed by construction activities or replaced during construction. Any that remain in the building are in good condition and not a hazard, are not required to be removed. Air quality is tested after each asbestos abatement, as per Worksafe BC requirements for any hazardous material abatement.
The HVAC system scheduling is done in compliance with WorkSafe BC, VCH and Ministry of Education guidelines, to balance health and safety with energy efficiency. You may also refer to our ventilation page. https://sd38.bc.ca/our-district/facilities-services/ventilation/
In my experience with school construction, the “renovation smell” is from a wide variety of factors - summer cleaning, new furniture, new books, etc. As summer turns into fall, the new school smell turns into the usual school smells.
Parents’ Feedback: Some schools have breakfast items available before school, will we have this?
School’s Response: We are in the midst of setting up our Feeding Futures program. We are actively seeking information about the needs of our community so we can adequately support those that need a little assistance. A couple of families have already connected with me.
We will always have snacks, veggies, and fruit available for our students.
The more robust breakfast programs around the district are often supported by full classrooms, staff, and volunteers. At this time, we do not have the staffing or infrastructure to open a full, daily breakfast program. As we continue to scan the needs of our students, we will adjust what we can offer as needed.