British ColumbiaThe B.C. government will spend nearly $39 million to rebuild Hazel Trembath Elementary in Port Coquitlam, with the new school expected to be open by December 2027.$39-million Hazel Trembath announcement comes same day as planned rallyChad Pawson · CBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2025 12:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours agoHazel Trembath Elementary is pictured after a fire destroyed the Port Coquitlam school in October 2023. On Friday, the province announced a rebuild plan, with a new school expected to be complete by December 2027. (Ben Nelms/CBC News)The B.C. government will spend nearly $39 million to rebuild Hazel Trembath Elementary in Port Coquitlam, with the new school expected to be open by December 2027.The announcement on Friday came as families were set to rally at the gravel field at 1278 Confederation Dr. in Port Coquitlam, which is all that remains after a suspicious fire destroyed the kindergarten to Grade 5 school in October 2023.Families, students and local politicians said they want to bring attention to what they say has been inaction over the rebuild from the province. Now though, the rally may turn into a celebration.”The board of education and Hazel Trembath community are thrilled that funding has been approved to rebuild,” said Michael Thomas, chair of the Port Coquitlam board of education, as part of a government news release.Thomas, along with Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, a former pupil of the school, were to attend Friday’s rally.Thomas thanked Port Coquitlam MLA and cabinet minister Mike Farnworth along with city council, district staff, community members and the province “for their tireless work and advocacy … to … bring Hazel Trembath home.”Police say the Hazel Trembath fire, which started on Oct. 14, 2023, was human caused and criminal in nature, but no charges have ever been laid. (Ben Nelms/CBC)After the fire, the school district said it would take three years to rebuild the school, unless an expedited timeline was undertaken.Two years later, the province says it is committed to the rebuild, with construction techniques that will allow for “a modern and safer school,” but that it won’t be complete until the end of 2027.The new 240-seat elementary school will include two kindergarten classrooms and eight elementary classrooms, a neighbourhood learning centre for future child-care spaces and a high-efficiency heat pump that will provide heating and cooling while reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by about 50 per cent, according to the province.Construction to start July 2026Much of the classrooms and main areas will use prefabricated construction to speed up the project, while the school’s gym will be built using regular construction methods.”After the loss of Hazel Trembath Elementary in our community, we know the rebuild can’t come quickly enough for families, and our government is working urgently to deliver a new school that will welcome students back as soon as possible,” said Farnworth.The province says it will be the first school in B.C. to be built with hybrid construction methods, allowing it to be completed a full school year earlier.“We know that the loss of Hazel Trembath Elementary has deeply impacted parents, students, teachers and staff,” said Bowinn Ma, minister of infrastructure.”I’m grateful to the school district for working with us on an innovative first-in-B.C. approach that will expedite construction and speed up the delivery of this new school for families.”Construction is anticipated to start in July 2026, according to the province.ABOUT THE AUTHORChad Pawson is a CBC News reporter in Vancouver. Please contact him at chad.pawson@cbc.ca.
Province announces rebuild plan for destroyed Port Coquitlam school
