Backgrounder: Educators hold Build BC Smarter Election Rally on Oct.15^th

As BC and Canada enter uncertain socio-economic times, the last thing our governments should be doing is undermining the knowledge economy.  This BC provincial election occurs amidst an unprecedented fiscal crisis for our colleges and universities. In the past two years, 213 education programs have been shuttered and 1387 teachers laid off in BC. Recent data projects a $300 million annual shortfall for post-secondary across the province, with 19 of BC’s 25 post-secondary schools operating at a loss.

Instead of more cuts we demand that all MLA electoral candidates commit to strong reinvestments in BC’s post-secondary programs. We want to Build BC smarter. This starts with investing in post-secondary education in our communities.

Students come to colleges and universities in BC to attain new skills, retrain or create the jobs and technologies of the future. Across the province — in communities both large and small; native and non-native — our schools form a critical network of knowledge infrastructure. They are resources and hubs for training, invention, innovation and entrepreneurship. 

Our public colleges and universities diversify the economy, train the workers of tomorrow, and create a more skilled, integrated society. This effort must not be undermined in the midst of a global trade war and in times of socio-economic instability.

Recent cuts have meant that students cannot access affordable programs close to home. We demand that provincial electoral candidates commit to restoring post-secondary in BC. The BC government should then pressure the federal government to make post-secondary education a Nation Building Project.

Come join our public rally on October 15^th to ensure that governments are investing in education as a critical nation building infrastructure.

We want our communities to have the strongest programs and best trained people to weather future uncertainties facing BC and Canada.

We want to Build BC Smarter.

Rebuilding post-secondary education as a public infrastructure in BC (BC Policy Solutions, 9 June 2026). Available at: https://bcpolicy.ca/2026/06/09/post-secondary/.

For the latest data on college and university employee layoffs and program suspensions being cut, suspected, or paused see the BC Federation of Students campaign: Cuts Suck! Tell the BC Government to invest in higher education (BCFS, 2026). Available at: https://www.cutssuck.ca/.

On the need for increases in stable core funding to postsecondary education also see:  Student Issues Backgrounder 2025: Lobby Brief to the BC Government (University of Victoria Student Society & Alliance of BC Students & University of Victoria Student Society et als. 2025). Available at: https://uvss.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Provincial-Lobby-Briefs.pdf

For more information, please contact:

Frank Cosco, President, Vancouver Community College Faculty Association. 
604-838-9428. president@vccfa.ca.

Taryn Thomson, Vancouver Community College Faculty Association Vice President.
604-992-1464. vicepresident@vccfa.ca.

Phaedra Burke, Kwantlen Faculty Association President,
778-875-5175 president@yourkfa.ca.

Alexandra Phillips, Emily Carr Faculty Association Co-President,
604-730-9289. kalexandraphillips@gmail.com.