1998/99 Allowances, Rates and Costing Factors Supplement
June 20, 1997 To: All Secretary-Treasurers All School Districts Enclosed you will find the following reference materials for use in the preparation of your 1998/99 Five-Year Capital Plan submission:
As you are well aware, there have been a number of changes in the Ministry's building, design, and construction standards which will directly impact the preparation of the 1998/99 Five-Year Capital Plan. These changes are outlined below. Space Standards Ministry space standards for elementary, middle and secondary schools have been reduced by ten percent. These new standards incorporate space efficiencies and design economies in schools to reduce the capital cost of building schools. School districts are required to comply with the new space standards in proposed projects submitted in their 1998/99 capital plans. The new elementary school space standards are provided in the attached update to the B.C. School Facilities Building Manual. For your information, the following changes have been incorporated in the new elementary space standards:
Individual elementary space functions (as listed on the Design Aid Sheet) may be provided within 90 to 120 percent of the space guidelines, provided the school is within the overall allowable area and the number of required classrooms is maintained. New space standards similar to the elementary standards are currently being developed for middle and secondary schools. For budgetary purposes, school districts may determine the necessary specific program area reductions, in order to reduce the overall allowable area of middle and secondary schools by ten percent. Efficiency Scheduling School boards are required to implement extended day scheduling, or increase school utilization by some other means, before capital funding approval of a secondary school construction project may be considered. This requirement also applies to all surrounding schools in the affected catchment areas for any new school, replacement school, or addition to an existing school. Based on discussions at the Extended Days Forum, held in May 1997, the Ministry will recognize space requirements resulting from extended day scheduling. An Extended Day Area Allowance will be applied to secondary space projects to provide for the following:
The attached table, Extended Day Area Allowances, will be included as part of the new space standards being developed for secondary schools. In addition, the Ministry encourages school districts to consider implementation of multi-track, year round schools. Higher priority consideration in the Ministry's capital program will be given to elementary and middle school projects implementing year-round schedules. Building Construction Unit Rates Unit rates for school construction have been reduced by 15 percent for elementary ($950 per square metre), middle ($980 : $1010 per square metre) and secondary ($1040 per square metre). School districts are required to reduce the cost of capital projects requested in the 1998/99 capital plan to comply with the new unit rates. School Site Acquisition Government expects school districts and municipalities in high growth areas to implement the provisions of the School Site Acquisition Statutes Amendment Act (1995) to acquire land or cash-in-lieu for school sites. Given limitations on capital funding, only those site requests using land or cash received under the provisions of this legislation will receive funding consideration in the 1998/99 capital plan. Public/Private Partnerships Public/private partnerships (P3 projects) involve the private sector in the design, construction, financing, and/or operation of a school. In certain situations, such as a developer built and financed school in a new subdivision or a comprehensive redevelopment of an existing school site, a public/private partnership may result in considerable reduction in capital costs. School districts are encouraged to work closely with Ministry staff to develop business proposals on P3 projects for consideration in the 1998/99 capital plan. Building Renovations Given limitations on capital funding, major renovations and replacements will not receive high priority consideration in the 1998/99 capital plan. Alternatively, the Ministry and school districts need to work together to extend the life of school buildings, wherever possible, and identify minor capital projects which address the most critical deficiencies in aging buildings. The scope of these projects should be based on an assessment of building condition completed through the facility audit process. The Ministry will prioritize capital requests based on Level II facility audits. The 1998/99 Five-Year Capital Plan Allowances, Rates and Costing Factors Supplement contains many changes from last year, resulting from such things as the new cost-efficiency initiatives, amalgamation of school districts, and increased manufacturer's costs for school buses. Notable changes to individual tables are summarized for your convenience, on the page following the Table of Contents. Please be advised that the 1998/99 Five-Year Capital Plans must be completed and submitted to the Facilities Branch by September 15, 1997. My priority is for Facilities Branch staff to work closely with district officials during the next few months to ensure the most effective development of your Five-Year Capital Plan. Your Planning Officer is an important resource in this process; please do not hesitate to seek their assistance. Yours sincerely,
R.J. Parker Director Attachments pc: All Superintendents of Schools
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