The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) says it is developing its underused land to generate future revenue at a time when the post-secondary sector is facing financial headwinds due to immigration policy changes.

The development of two parking lots at UFV’s Abbotsford campus could start as soon as 2028, turning the asphalt beside Rogers Forum into a mixed-use development featuring condos, coffee shops, restaurants and more.

The project is being managed by the UFV Properties Trust, which launched in 2023 in an effort to diversify the university’s revenue. The university will own the developed land under a 99-year leasehold.

“This is not an operating stream of revenue,” said Jackie Hogan, outgoing UFV vice-president of administration. “This is an investment back into the university or the university foundation.”

“The idea of the property trust is to think beyond funding,” said UFV Properties Trust CEO Gary Morrison. “What we’re trying to do is build great communities on the edge of campus.” 

The announcement of the new development timelines comes at a challenging time for UFV, which posted a nearly $22.5-million deficit in the fall.

Greg Mather with the UFV Faculty & Staff Association said 45 staff received layoff notices mid-March.

“I struggle with the timing as this community is hurting right now — to say, ‘Hey, we’re doing this’ when any of those profits aren’t going to go to operational funds,” said Mather.

He said he recognizes that profits made from development will fund scholarships, research, capital projects and other things not funded by governments, but he has questions about the benefit of commercial development.

“I don’t know if that will actually be a benefit to the community beyond the 99-[year] lease that the university will receive,” said Mather.

Hogan said the goals of the trust are separate from day-to-day operations.

“The property trust is long-term development and has been in planning for quite some time,” she said.

Meanwhile, the operations budget has been managed through revenues and expenses that Hogan said “has resulted in some reduction of positions at the university.”

The impacts of a tough financial situation

While the university manages financial pressure, some of its students are saying it’s more difficult to find courses this summer.

“I registered for eight courses for the summer, and I only got into one,” said Caimbrya Brassington, a psychology major. “It did feel a little different — mostly just in talking to other students, how many people have had more difficulty than in past years.”

“I wanted to kind of get ahead, I guess, and take Chem 114,” said Janae Lamb, a biology major. “It just wasn’t available, which I found really surprising because it seems like the sort of course that would be in the summer.”

Hogan said there are fewer course offerings this summer compared to last year.

“That might be a reduction of some of the sections that we’ve seen through the budget process,” she said.

Lower enrolment at UFV India campus

Besides UFV’s campuses in the Fraser Valley, it has been running a campus in Chandigarh, India, since at least 2006. The campus website advertises the opportunity for students to continue studying at the Fraser Valley campuses.

Hogan said enrolment at the school’s Chandigarh campus has also dropped in the wake of study permit caps, but UFV is still developing programming alongside Panjab University despite the more limited immigration environment.

“I think there’s opportunities for other ways of attracting students from India to our campus here,” she said.

As for development on the Abbotsford campus, the rezoning process is expected to finish later this year, along with completion of a parking lot at the school’s south end.