Chilliwack School Board to Consider Recommendations for Balancing School Enrolment on May 12
April 22, 2026
The Chilliwack School Board will consider recommendations for balancing enrolment and capacity at Chilliwack schools at a board meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The enrolment and facilities review will be the only agenda item.
The board approved the addition of the May 12 meeting at last night’s board meeting. Superintendent Rohan Arul-pragasam also provided the board with an update on the public consultation process.
“This work is about planning and also hearing from the community,” said Arul-pragasam. “Over the past year, we spent a significant amount of time listening to students, staff, families and our broader communities. People have shared thoughtful stories about how any recommendations would impact them and their families.”
Public consultation ran from January 28 – April 10, 2026. Students, families, staff, and community members provided feedback on the draft proposal via a survey, emails, a student focus group, and two open houses. The district also hosted online information sessions for staff and community members.
The public consultation summary report is now available on Let’s Talk: https://www.letstalksd33.ca/facilities-and-enrolment-consultation-2026. 7,700 people visited the website during the consultation period and over 3000 downloaded the draft plan. Over 400 people took the survey.
Respondents shared that stability for students, keeping students together as they move through school, preventing overcrowding, and access to neighbourhood schools were their top priorities for long-term planning. Any approved recommendations would be implemented in September 2027 to allow for transition planning with school communities.
Between 2016 and 2021, Chilliwack was the second fastest growing municipality in Canada. Growth happened faster in some areas than others, creating uneven pressure across schools. Recent projections from the province show that enrolment is expected to stabilize across B.C.