College of New Caledonia closing Fort St. James campus | CBC News
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The Prince George-based College of New Caledonia (CNC) is closing one of its satellite campuses in northwest B.C.
Staff have been notified that the Fort St. James campus, serving the region approximately 200 kilometres west of Prince George, will be permanently closed on March 31.
“This was not an easy decision,” the college said in an emailed statement.
“Fort St. James has been an important part of CNC’s history, and we recognize the deep connections the campus has had with the community over many years.”
It’s the latest in a series of cuts impacting programming at both CNC and post-secondary institutions across the province, more generally, which administrators blame on a revenue shortfall following new limits on international student visa.
At CNC, leaders say they are dealing with an $8 million revenue shortfall tied to caps on the number of international student visa issued dating back to 2024.
The college has also cut several programs, including English language learning and its kinesiology diploma.
Fort St. James Mayor Martin Elphee previously told CBC News he felt “the writing was on the wall,” for the local campus after staff working there were either laid off or relocated as part of budget adjustments last year.
Daybreak North5:19Fort St. James mayor worried about future of local college campus
Community meeting scheduled for Thursday night with the College of New Caledonia.
Those cuts come at the same time Fort St. James is dealing with job losses in the local forest industry and a need for increased economic diversification
Elphee said in the past there were up to 200 students at a time in programs like culinary arts to trades programming, with hope for additions, but instead cuts brought enrolment down to nearly zero.
“It hasn’t been a good relationship, recently,” he said of his community’s interactions with CNC.
In its statement, the college said it remains “committed to providing education and training opportunities” in Fort St. James through training set up in other buildings in the community, as well as online, blended and mobile and cohort-based programming.
“CNC’s commitment to learners in Fort St. James remains strong, and we will continue to work with the community to ensure education and training opportunities remain accessible,” the statement said.
CNC continues to operate campuses in Prince George, Quesnel, Vanderhoof, Mackenzie and Burns Lake.