Capital planning is a long, complex process that involves many steps over several years to take a new facility from an initial idea to occupied use.  Each year, our Board of Education is required to submit a five-year capital plan that includes details on school building priorities for the school district such as new school developments, existing school upgrades and seismic upgrades.

The provincial government establishes an overall capital budget for schools in all 60 school districts in B.C. based on the ministry's capital allocation. Each capital request is analyzed according to specific criteria and available resources are allocated to the highest-priority projects across the province.  

The Ministry of Education establishes the framework that the school district must follow for seismic and new school capital projects. This framework is a multi-step process and involves many of the steps below along with other key milestones and needs in the capital project process.
 
SD43 continues to advocate to government for more capital funding for our needs. In some cases, SD43's Board of Education advances our own funds initially to run some of the steps below in parallel to help expedite the overall process and timing of a capital project.  The board may also self-fund projects, such as school additions when needed.

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Project Identification

1. Long Range Facilities Plan: this outlines numerous long-term capital projects for the district.
2. Capital Plan: a five-year plan submitted to the Ministry in June of each year that includes details on capital priorities. 
3. Project Request Fact Sheet (PRFS): outlines the general project rationale, potential project scope and order of magnitude costing.
4. Capital Plan Response Letter (if applicable): Ministry direction on progress and next steps of capital projects, received in April or May of the following year.
5. Seismic Project Identification Report (SPIR): assesses structural mitigation measures for a building.

Feasibility

1. Concept Plan: a higher-level feasibility study examining different project options and procurement methods that will be more thoroughly refined at the PDR stage. 
   
2. Project Definition Report (PDR): a detailed examination of factors such as enrolment projections, possible seismic mitigation concepts, temporary accommodation needs, project scope and costing, and a recommended concept is presented by the Board to the Ministry of Education for approval.
3. Ministry of Education Funding and Approval: the Project Agreement is signed, which authorizes the school board to proceed with agreed-to particulars of the project and major funds for the project are issued.

Design

1. Design Visioning: students and employees brainstorm on wants and needs for a new facility.
2. Design Development: architects begin to draw up plans for the new facility.
3. Open House (if applicable): plans for new schools may be presented to the public in an open house format for stakeholders to ask questions and make comments on the proposed design of the new school.
4. Working Drawings: Architects and consultants create detailed design drawings for permitting and construction.
5. Permitting: to obtain the required permits from the governing municipality.

Construction and Completion

1. Project Tender: when the design is complete, the project is put out to tender. Construction companies bid on the contract. If  within budget, will proceed to Project Award phase.
2. Project Award: Tenders are evaluated and the successful proponent is selected.
3. Construction: after the project is awarded to the successful bidder, construction can begin. There are many variables that can affect the length of time required to finish a major project.
4. Construction Completion: construction is completed, inspections are done, rework that may be needed is done, demolition of the old school may occur if needed.
5. Occupancy Planning: we furnish and legally occupy the new facility to begin the move-in process.
6. Occupancy: we move students and employees into the new building, some minor work may continue.
7. Opening Event: the school has been occupied, is completed and an opening event occurs.​