The BC Students’ Federation is calling on the province to boost public post-secondary funding after Selkirk College announced the closure of its learning centres in Kaslo and Nakusp due to financial challenges.
The closures are the result of the federal government’s recent restriction on international student recruitment, which Selkirk says has led to a $9-million loss in revenue for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The Kaslo Learning Centre will close on June 30, 2025, while the Nakusp Learning Centre will close on December 31, 2025.
According to the BC Students’ Federation, the two closures are part of a wave of cuts across the province’s post-secondary sector.
Chairperson Jessie Nikkoi says the province needs to step up its funding and support for public post-secondary institutions, or else BC’s future workforce will “continue to bear the cost.”
“It just shows how big of an issue there is with the current post-secondary funding model, which has faced years of disinvestment and a lack of funding. Now, all these changes that are happening with immigration are also causing more issues, and it’s hurting our communities.”
Nikkoi says that in the early 2000s, provincial funding made up about 70-80 per cent of public post-secondary institution revenue, but now it makes up about 40 per cent across all institutions.
This lack of funding has resulted in an increased reliance on international student tuition to make up for revenue shortfalls.
“What we want to see is the funding levels being brought back up to that level or to the levels it was in the 70s to 80s,” added Nikkoi.
Another implication of the funding lapse is increased domestic tuition, which Nikkoi says has historically seen a 2 per cent increase year over year, although that could increase without government action.
“Having that funding brought back up leads to institutions not having to increase tuition. It also keeps predictability for students and ensures students know specifically what they’re paying when they go to school. The institutions would also have the money to ensure they’re providing the service and education that students need.”
Without government action, Nikkoi fears public colleges province-wide will continue to cut programs and implement layoffs, which she says will have a major economic impact on communities.
“Colleges and universities are major economic drivers, major employers in their communities, and it will affect everyone in a community. When the economy suffers, the students and people in the community also suffer. There will be less course availability, fewer support services for students – they’re basically going to be paying more for less.”
She says with increased funding, institutions across BC can continue to provide the services, programs, and courses small communities need to grow and prosper.
“The province needs to take that step, and they need to do it soon, or we will see more and more institutions announcing deficits. We have 25 public post-secondary schools in BC, and 17 are projecting a deficit for the next fiscal year, which is not good for anyone.”
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