Nine public post-secondary institutions will receive an additional $6.7 million in 2014-15 to support English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

This funding complements the $10.5 million announced last month, for a total of $17.2 million.

The one-time transitional funding will help institutions most impacted by the federal government’s decision to fund and administer ESL programs for immigrants effective April 1, 2014.

The additional funding will be distributed to nine public institutions that deliver ESL programs:

• Vancouver Community College $3.25 million.
• Camosun College $993,000.
• Douglas College $639,000.
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University $558,000.
• University of the Fraser Valley $346,000.
• Langara College $318,000.
• Capilano University $233,000.
• British Columbia Institute of Technology $218,000.
• Okanagan College $145,000.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will continue to fund English language programming through agreements with service delivery organizations such as not-for-profit agencies and some post-secondary institutions, as it does in the rest of Canada. And B.C. and CIC will work together to ensure that federal and provincial programs are complementary.

The B.C. government continues to work with public post-secondary institutions to develop a long-term strategy for the delivery of ESL and mitigate the impact on students.

This additional $6.7 million in transitional funding is from deferred federal funds under the Canada-B.C. Immigration Agreement.

Media Contacts:

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