Public post-secondary institutions are receiving $10.5 million for the planning and changes needed to transition English as a Second Language (ESL) programs to a new model where immigrant settlement services are directly administered by the federal government.

The one-time funding is part of an initial transition plan the ministry has developed with public post-secondary institutions and the federal government. The funding will help institutions most impacted by the federal government's decision to end the Canada-B.C. Immigration Agreement effective April 1, 2014.

The funding will be distributed to the 17 public institutions that deliver ESL programs:

• Vancouver Community College $4.67 million.
• Camosun College $1.43 million.
• Douglas College $920,000.
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University $800,000.
• University of the Fraser Valley $498,000.
• Langara College $458,000.
• Capilano University $335,000.
• British Columbia Institute of Technology $314,000.
• Okanagan College $208,000.
• Vancouver Island University $218,000.
• Thompson Rivers University $196,000.
• North Island College $125,000.
• Northern Lights College $117,000.
• Selkirk College $83,000.
• College of New Caledonia $77,000.
• College of the Rockies $36,000.
• Northwest Community College $7,400.

The cancellation of the Canada-B.C. Immigration Agreement changes the way ESL is delivered in British Columbia. Citizenship and Immigration Canada will fund ESL programs directly through contracts it is currently negotiating with not-for-profit agencies and a limited number of post-secondary institutions.

The B.C. government will continue to work with public post-secondary institutions to manage the transition to the new federal ESL funding model, and mitigate the impact on students, faculty and staff.

Funding is from the Skills Development Employment Benefit under the Labour Market Development Agreement.

Media Contact:

Scott Sutherland
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400