VICTORIA—B.C. communities will pay the price for the Campbell government’s broken Throne Speech promise to address the sell-off of surplus school lands, New Democrat Education critic David Cubberley said today.

“Since taking power, the B.C. Liberals have shut down more than 130 public schools across the province,” said Cubberley. “These buildings and green spaces should be a lasting legacy, so that communities can continue to use and benefit from them. But the Campbell government is quietly selling off these properties to private developers with little input from the public.”

Cubberley added that recent school land sales on Vancouver Island illustrate the Campbell government’s lack of transparency around the sale of surplus buildings and lands.

“In Victoria, a school sale to a private bidder was approved without public notice or discussion. And last month in Saanich, a seven acre parcel of green space at Royal Oak Middle School showed up on the B.C. Bid website for the highest bidder. Not even the neighborhood community association was notified of the sale,” said Cubberley.

“At a minimum, the Campbell government should provide an opportunity for communities to assess what uses and features should be protected against development or reserved for public use,” said Cubberley.

“It’s time for the Campbell government to keep its Throne Speech promise and introduce changes that clearly recognize the community's interest in school lands and require consultation and transparency when properties are put up for sale.”

The February 2007 Speech from the Throne reads: “A new process will be put in place to ensure that schools or school lands are used for their highest and best use for maximum public benefit.”