Vancouver homeowners are contributing over $100 million every year through the provincial Additional School Tax, a tax that was widely understood to support public education.

In 2019 alone, the Additional School Tax raised about $101 million from Vancouver. That same year, the Vancouver School Board estimated it would cost $33 million to restore and seismically upgrade Sir Guy Carleton Elementary. That funding was not approved, and the school was later closed, despite being located in a growing Transit-Oriented Area.

Since then, the tax has continued to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the Province. Yet Vancouver students, classrooms, and school buildings aren’t seeing that money.

Now, in Budget 2026, the Province announced it will increase Additional School Tax rates beginning in the 2027 taxation year. However, the budget does not include a clear commitment to reinvest these funds directly into Vancouver’s public schools.

It’s time to take action:
Write to Vancouver MLAs now

The Green Party of Vancouver is urging Vancouver MLAs to stand up for students and advocate for transparent reinvestment of the Additional School Tax into public education.

This funding could:

• Completing seismic upgrades, rebuilding aging schools, and building new ones where needed
• Hiring more teachers, education assistants, and support staff
• Expanding mental health and inclusion supports
• Strengthening arts, music, and Indigenous languages education
• Upgrading school infrastructure and grounds for climate resilience
• Ensuring equitable access to technology, food programs, and classroom resources

Vancouver’s children deserve safe schools, strong supports, and thriving classrooms in every neighbourhood. It’s time for the Province to properly fund education.

Write to Vancouver MLAs now

Photo by Charlene Kwiatkowski
textingthecity.wordpress.com