Students in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., will not be returning to their current high school following last week’s deadly mass shooting, the local school district said in a release.
In a letter to families dated Feb. 13, School District No. 59 (Peace River South) said future plans will prioritize student safety and well-being, adding the existing school site will not reopen.
“As we create our plans, the expectation is that we will not be returning to the current high school site,” superintendent Christy Fennell wrote.
Larry Neufeld, BC Conservative MLA for Peace River South, said the prospect of students returning to the building has been a major concern within the community.
“How can you imagine a paint job and a mural and then asking children to go back into that place? I can’t imagine,” Neufeld said in an interview with Global News.
“As an adult, I would not want to go into that location. Children should not be forced into that situation.”
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Neufeld said provincial leaders have assured him students will not be required to return to the existing school.
“There will be portables brought in, there will be other accommodations made, but students won’t be forced back into that building.”
The district said supports for students and families remain available at the community recreation centre, which is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We know some families will want the stability of school routines, while others may not feel ready,” Fennell wrote.
“We will share plans over the next week that prioritizes emotional and physical safety through a trauma informed lens,” the statement further read.
The decision follows the Feb. 10 shooting in Tumbler Ridge, where a teen killed eight people. Police have identified the suspect as Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, who also died.
In the days since the tragedy in the small northeastern British Columbia community, recent memorials and vigils have taken place to honour the victims.
Neufeld told Global News that the recent memorials and gatherings have provided an important space for grief and connection. “People went from being zombies to… allowing their emotions to be released.”
Friday night’s vigil brought many mourners together, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and opposition leader Pierre Poiliviere.
“I’ve been in politics for about 16 months, and there is often a performative component to it, but what you saw yesterday was real,” Neufeld said.
BC RCMP say investigators and forensic teams continue to process the school and a nearby residence connected to the shooting.
Autopsies are expected to be completed by the end of the weekend.
More than 80 students, educators and first responders have been interviewed so far, with additional witness interviews ongoing, as the investigation progresses.
Allow these students to heal on their own time, there is no right or wrong way to mourn. Yes… I agree they must move forward.. BUT being that there is only 4 months to go for this school year (giving time to clean and replace things in the school)… How about holding the ceremonies for the Grads at a different place, and Start a new year in Sept. for the rest of the students.
Maybe home schooling over the computer for these students?
Or maybe at the local library? I don’t think portables at the school location will help these kids any. What a horrible thing to go through and to witness at a young age, or any age.
My good thoughts and Prayers are with you all.
Real asholes commenting on here.Dan your the biggest ashole of them all.F-off and crawl back in your hole prik
It is a very tragic event and I feel for all those affected. What is done about the school should be decided by the locals in conjunction with the BC and Canadian governments. These are scars that will stay with people and whatever works best for them is what needs to be done.
The shooter wins. If school was such a negative and you can get this result by….… People need to stay strong!
Canada is weak.
This government response is insane. Two reasons, people need to deal with life be it good or horrible in the case of the shooting. Life does not work this way, you need to go forward. Second, the government or the tax payers of BC can’t afford this. Tumbler Ridge has a perfectly good school
ck the the high Schol
Fu* king pussies
Don’t be f ing morons. Use the school.
This will get happening until our government comes to their senses and starts treating mental illness rather than affirming it.
Deepest condolences to the entire community.Unimaginable to a parent. Reality as cruel as it may be would dictate this scenario will happen again. Do you swipe buildings off the map like a screen or do you teach the off spring to deal in the here and now? FYI 425 U.S. mass shootings in 2025 So far 2026 in the u.s. there are 25. 2024 in Canada 3 mass shootings (4 or more victims) in 2025 there were 4. Lets teach our kids reality and remember not forget like it didn’t happen.
Good school won’t be used after the shooting tragedy and I hope it will get burned down as the negative energy will never leave it.
You don’t think there could ever be another sick mind like this in the same small town , do you ?
If it were a Perfect World …
The RCMP would never have returned the confiscated firearms to Ms Strang
The Father would have been part of the child’s upbringing
Calls and pleas for psychological counseling would be dealt with accordingly
Depressed and suicidal subjects would only take themselves away …
That is ridiculous! Why would you build a new high school because of that.
Lots of unstable, unreasonable people here that think money grows on trees.
raze the building
The reporter got the last name wrong of the shooter in this article…. Even tho it’s been reported correctly….. not cool….
Who decided an 11 year old boy is now a girl? Charge the doctors, teachers, or councillor responsible for the deaths
well, “machine” are you happy with what you have created?
I CANNOT imagine the children being returned to that!!
Seems like a right move. Returning to the place of such horrific crime is going to reopen the traumatic experience over and over. The portable classrooms will help, at least temporarily.
As for the building, sadly, it will be in need of “upgrades” such as metal detectors or airport scanner wands. It’s an awful thing but this is the reality, we have hormone disrupted trans mentals taking their hate on the kids.
The community is devastated emotionally, may as well f * c k them up financially as well eh? Weak
Be a shame to leave a school sittng empty, what about an armed guard on the grounds for awhile