The B.C. government has launched a comprehensive review of post-secondary funding, a move that comes amid mounting financial pressures on colleges and universities across the province following Ottawa’s international student visa cap.
Post-Secondary Education Minister Selina Robinson announced the review yesterday, describing it as a necessary step to address long-standing challenges facing British Columbia’s 25 public institutions.
“Our colleges and universities are facing real financial headwinds right now,” Robinson told reporters at a news conference at Langara College. “This review will examine how we fund post-secondary education in B.C. and how we can create a more sustainable model that works for students, faculty, and our economy.”
The timing isn’t coincidental. The federal government’s recent decision to slash international student visas by 35% has sent shockwaves through campus budgets. Many B.C. institutions have grown increasingly dependent on the higher tuition fees paid by international students to offset decades of declining provincial funding.
At Vancouver Island University, international students make up about 20% of enrollment but contribute nearly 45% of the institution’s tuition revenue, according to figures shared by VIU President Deborah Saucier last month.
“We’re essentially running two entirely different financial models at the same institution,” explained Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates. “Domestic students pay provincially regulated tuition that hasn’t kept pace with inflation, while international students pay market rates that have climbed dramatically.”
This funding review marks the first comprehensive examination of B.C.’s post-secondary financing since 2014. The province says the process will unfold in three phases over approximately 18 months, with initial recommendations expected by early 2025.
Critics, however, question whether the timeline is responsive enough to the immediate financial crisis many institutions face.
“Some colleges could be facing insolvency before this review even delivers its first report,” warned Federation of Post-Secondary Educators president Brent Calvert. “We needed emergency stabilization funding yesterday.”
The B.C. Federation of Students has long advocated for increased provincial investment. “International students shouldn’t be treated as cash cows to make up for government underfunding,” said chairperson Melissa Chirino. “This review must address the real funding shortfall that’s accumulated over decades.”
The review comes as several institutions have announced program cuts and hiring freezes. Thompson Rivers University recently eliminated 14 programs and laid off staff, while Langara College has paused several certificate programs with low enrollment.
Data from Statistics Canada shows provincial operating grants to B.C. post-secondary institutions have fallen from approximately 80% of operating budgets in the 1980s to less than 45% today. During that same period, tuition revenue – particularly from international students – has grown substantially.
Robinson defended the province’s record, noting B.C. has invested $780 million in capital projects across multiple campuses since 2017. “We’re committed to accessible, affordable education,” she said. “But we need to make sure our funding model is sustainable for the long term.”
The review will be led by former deputy minister Don Wright, who previously served as president of BCIT. Wright will work with a nine-member advisory panel that includes representatives from student groups, faculty associations, institutional leadership, and industry.
“We need to think holistically about what we want from our post-secondary system,” Wright said. “This isn’t just about dollars and cents – it’s about ensuring British Columbians have the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a changing economy.”
Indigenous leaders have also called for the review to address Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations. “Any funding model must support genuine Indigenization of curriculum and services,” said Tyrone McNeil, president of the First Nations Education Steering Committee.
Business groups welcome the review but stress urgency. “B.C. faces critical skills gaps in healthcare, technology, and trades,” noted Fiona Famulak, president of the BC Chamber of Commerce. “Our post-secondary system must be nimble enough to meet workforce needs.”
As the review begins, Robinson emphasized that all options are on the table – potentially including adjustments to domestic tuition caps, new funding formulas, and innovative partnerships with industry.
For now, many campus leaders are simply hoping their institutions can weather the immediate financial storm while the longer-term policy work unfolds.
“We’re making impossible choices right now,” said one college president who requested anonymity to speak candidly. “Cut programs students need? Lay off faculty? Defer maintenance on aging buildings? None of these options serves British Columbians well.”
