MLA: Council 'misread' policy on school lands; Provincial government wants to make sure former school lands are used for community
Burnaby Now
January 17, 2009 
By: Brooke Larsen

Burnaby council is overreacting to a new government policy on the sale of school lands, Liberal MLA John Nuraney said Thursday.

Nuraney, MLA for Burnaby-Willingdon, said the government has no plans to sell unused school lands in Burnaby, as feared by several Burnaby councillors.

"They've totally misread the whole thing, …" Nuraney said in an interview.

On Monday, several councillors said an order announced by the government in 2007 could shortchange local taxpayers. They said the order doesn't take into account the city's contributions to Burnaby's school lands, and that the land could be sold to private developers.

But Nuraney said the order is meant to ensure school lands are used for community purposes - such as child-care or seniors' programs - if they can't be used by the school district….

"Those conversations can only take place at the school district level because they're the owners," Nuraney said.

The response didn't reassure Coun. Nick Volkow, who said it remains to be seen whether the province will consult the city about school land sales.

"If that's the case, and he's (Nuraney's) on the record saying it, that's good," Volkow said. "I'll believe it when I see it."….