Politics · Canada · 1 day ago
B.C. colleges and universities await delayed review as budget cuts continue
Colleges and universities across British Columbia are facing financial pressure after federal limits on international student enrolment reduced their income.
The province relied heavily on fees from international students, and some schools have had to cut or suspend programs.
North Island College, for example, paused 15 programs, including a cabinetmaking course.
The provincial government ordered an independent review of the postsecondary sector, and reviewer Don Avison submitted his findings last spring.
The report has not been released, and a provincial election delayed its publication further.
Simon Fraser University says it lost nearly $80-million in revenue and warns that some B.C. institutions are close to the edge of financial sustainability.
Premier David Eby has promised to release the review if his government is re-elected, but says it would keep the annual cap on domestic tuition increases.
Schools are continuing to consider cuts while they await the report and decisions by the next provincial government.
B.C. colleges and universities are awaiting the release of an independent review as they face budget pressure after federal limits on international student enrolment reduced revenue.
Reviewer Don Avison submitted his findings to the provincial government last spring, but the report has not been released.
Simon Fraser University says it lost nearly $80-million in revenue after the international student boom ended.
Some institutions have made or are considering cuts, including North Island College, which paused 15 programs.
Premier David Eby said a re-elected NDP government would keep the cap on annual domestic tuition increases and release the review.
- Who
- B.C. colleges and universities, the provincial government and independent reviewer Don Avison.
- What
- Postsecondary institutions face budget pressure and await the release of Avison’s independent review.
- When
- The review was submitted last spring; the article was published on Oct. 10, 2026.
- Where
- British Columbia, Canada.
- Why
- Federal limits on international student enrolment reduced revenue for postsecondary institutions.
B.C. postsecondary institutions seeking more support
B.C. government
Funding and tuition
B.C. postsecondary institutions seeking more support
Simon Fraser University president Joy Johnson said institutions are close to the edge of sustainability and called for more public funding or an end to the 2-per-cent annual cap on domestic tuition increases.
B.C. government
Premier David Eby said a re-elected NDP government would keep the tuition cap and stressed that institutions must control costs and live within their budgets.
There are a number of postsecondary institutions right now in the province who are very close to the edge of sustainability, and that is of deep concern
Hard choices are going to have to be made
ensure that they are living within the budgets that they have
I was gutted
The federal government began curtailing the international student program.
North Island College’s board voted to pause 15 programs.
The provincial government ordered an independent review of the postsecondary sector.
Don Avison submitted his review findings to the government.
The Globe and Mail reported that the review had not been released ahead of the Oct. 24 provincial vote.
- Reviewer
- Don Avison, a former board chair of Emily Carr University of Art + Design
- SFU revenue loss
- Nearly $80-million
- North Island College programs paused
- 15
- Domestic tuition increase cap
- 2 per cent annually
- Provincial vote
- Oct. 24
Sources
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