Image: Kwantlen Polytechnic University

By Nono Shen, The Canadian Press

B.C. university lays off faculty

B.C. university with 2 Fraser Valley campuses issues multiple lay-off notices

Mar 14, 2025 | 4:16 PM

FRASER VALLEY — A Metro Vancouver university with campuses in the Fraser Valley says about 70 of its faculty members received lay-off notices after a sharp decline in international students reduced the school’s revenue by about $49 million.

Laurie Clancy, vice-president of human resources at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, says the decision is “sad and unfortunate” because they have a wonderful faculty.

She says the federal government’s cap on international students has “directly impacted” the university with a drop of 2,000 students this year and expected reduction of 1,500 students next year.

Kwantlen’s website says the school has about 20,000 students and 1,400 faculty members across its five campuses in Surrey, Richmond and Langley.

Clancy says the layoff will take place on Sept. 1 and will affect members from the Melville school of business and faculty of art.

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She says the provincial government has been advocating for the university, but it’s the federal Immigration Department that needs to be made aware of how its changes affect higher education in Canada.

She says they have to cancel classes, which isn’t good for either international or domestic students.

“(Kwantlen) is a teaching institution, and so we don’t have the opportunity, like some of the research universities for faculty, if they don’t have the courses to teach, they can do research.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press