October vote expected for Vancouver school trustees

B.C. Premier John Horgan expects an announcement soon on a possibleelection this fall for new Vancouver school trustees.

"We've been discussing that and how we can make that happen," Horgan told On the Coast host Richard Zussman.

The board was fired by former Liberal education minister Mike Bernier in October 2016, and replaced byappointed trustee Dianne Turner, a former superintendent of Delta School District.

Accountability needed

"The people of Vancouver deserve representatives they can go to to make sure that their kids are getting the education that they deserve," Horgan said.

Horgan said it makes sense to hold a Vancouver School Board election at the same time as the planned vote to replace Vancouver city councillor Geoff Meggs.

Meggsresigned his council seat last monthto serve as NDP Leader John Horgan's chief of staff.

'A good job' by appointed trustee

"The trustee that's in place, an appointee by the former Liberal government, has been doing a very good job by all accounts," Horgan said.

"But she's one individual, and I believe if every other community in British Columbia has access to elected representatives to make sure that the school system is meeting the needs of families, then Vancouver should as well."

The fired trustees had clashed with the province for months overtheir refusal to adopt a balanced budgetand allegations of bullying from school board staff.