École Anne-Hébert is a francophone school rich in cultural diversity. The school’s mission is to offer an inspiring, healthy, and safe learning and social environment to all, based on collective participation in the development of a lifestyle and an environment that contributes to the physical, mental, and social well-being of all members of the school community.
Obtain a new kindergarten to grade 6 school on École Anne-Hébert’s current site.
Obtain a new kindergarten to grade 6 school in the northern portion of École Anne-Hébert’s current catchment area, on a site large enough to allow for future enrolment growth.
Francophone parents residing in the northern part of the current École élémentaire Anne-Hébert catchment area have the right to have their children educated in French at the elementary level, in the north-eastern quadrant of Vancouver (and not solely at École élémentaire Anne-Hébert). According to the judge, once an elementary program has been established in north-east Vancouver (a program that would likely be established in leased space for approximately 25-45 students) and has grown, parents in north-east Vancouver will have the right to have their children attend a homogeneous school in north-east Vancouver that is able to accommodate approximately 270 students, with facilities that are substantively equivalent to those of the majority. Currently, there is no French-language school in north-east Vancouver.
According to the judge, the program to be established in north-east Vancouver will reduce crowding at École élémentaire Anne-Hébert, and thus improve the situation at École élémentaire Anne-Hébert.
The implementation of section 23 of the Charter in Vancouver, east of Main Street, will be supported by the order requiring the provincial government to establish a separate long-term funding envelope for the CSF’s capital projects, by the order requiring the provincial government to help the CSF acquire sites to meet the CSF’s needs, and by the order requiring the provincial government to fund the CSF’s leases where a program is offered in leased space. The implementation of section 23 in Vancouver, east of Main Street, may also be aided by the order for damages regarding the decade-long freeze of funding for the CSF’s transportation budget.
The CSF and the Fédération des parents francophones will ask that the Court of Appeal recognize that the Francophone community in Vancouver, east of Main Street, (1) has an immediate right to a homogeneous school in the northern part of the current École élémentaire Anne-Hébert catchment area that is substantively equivalent (and not just “proportionate”) to the competing English-language schools, and (2) has an immediate right to a homogeneous school in the southern part of the current École élémentaire Anne-Hébert catchment area that is substantively equivalent (and not just “proportionate”) to the competing English-language schools. This is not the case for the current École élémentaire Anne-Hébert facility.
The CSF is assessing the possibility of replacing École Anne-Hébert on the same site, and is in discussion with the Ministry of Education on the feasibility of the plan; a temporary location will need to be found to accommodate students if the building project is approved.
A search continues to acquire property in the northern part of the catchment area.