© DA HAPPY GUY
When Education Is Cut, Everyone Pays The Price.
It starts with a single course—tuition, increased fees—but it impacts the community.
A student logs into registration, ready to take the final class they need to graduate, only to find it’s been cancelled. Maybe the instructor was laid off, or maybe the institution no longer has the funding to run the course. Either way, the outcome is the same: a delayed graduation, added costs, and an uncertain path forward—not just for the student, but for the community they live in.
Across British Columbia, stories like these are becoming increasingly common. From suspended programs to staff layoffs, B.C.’s colleges and universities are grappling with deficits that are forcing difficult decisions. Programs that communities rely on are being scaled back or eliminated altogether.
At Selkirk College, the suspension of the gerontological nursing program comes at a time when B.C.’s population is aging, and the demand for specialized care is rising. At the College of New Caledonia, the social work diploma has been suspended, despite the growing need for social workers in northern and rural communities. When programs disappear, so do the skilled graduates that local economies depend on. When staff are laid off, communities lose jobs. And when campuses scale back services, it harms student success and retention—especially in rural and regional areas.
WHY IT MATTERS TO EVERYONE
Public post-secondary education supports student and community success. One begets the other, and to lose one is to lose a cornerstone of a resilient economy.
When institutions are underfunded, the consequences are felt widely. Workforce shortages grow as fewer students are trained in high-demand fields, local economies suffer from job losses and reduced campus activity, and rural and regional communities face shrinking access to education close to home. Notably, 13 campuses in Northern B.C., the Interior, and on Vancouver Island have been or are being considered for closure.
Without adequate public investment, institutions are often left with few options, such as shifting costs onto students through higher tuition, increased fees, or reduced services. But students and families know all too well that affordability is already a major concern. Students across B.C. are navigating rising housing costs, food insecurity, and increasing debt. Asking them to carry even more of the burden is not sustainable.
A SYSTEM UNDER STRAIN
The province’s ongoing sector-wide review has acknowledged financial pressures but has signalled that no new funding will be made available. Instead, the review is focused on mergers, efficiency measures, and the potential for increased tuition.
But these approaches fail to address the core issue: operating funding has not kept pace with inflation, steadily eroding institutions’ ability to deliver programs and services. One of the most effective tools for keeping education affordable is the Tuition Limit Policy, but it’s now under threat. Weakening it would only make the affordability crisis worse and further limit access for students across the province.
THE PATH FORWARD
So what is the solution to this growing problem? Simply put, it’s to reinvest in core operating funding for public post-secondary institutions. Sustainable funding would protect access to education across B.C., including in rural and regional communities, keep tuition affordable for students and families, and stabilize programs to prevent further cuts.
On an individual level, this means that students can once again count on higher education as a pathway to success. On a wider scale, this would ensure that the province can train the skilled workforce it needs for the future.
TAKE ACTION
The future of public post-secondary education in British Columbia is at a crossroads, and public voices matter. Learn more about the impacts of cuts across the province and take action today.
Visit cutssuck.ca to learn more and send a message calling for stable, sustainable funding.
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The British Columbia Federation of Students is a provincial alliance of more than 170,000 students at 14 universities, colleges, and institutes in every part of BC. Together we work to provide students with an effective and unified voice to influence access to education.