There's a Population Boom South of the Fraser River, But Post-Secondary Isn't Keeping Pace

Geoff Dean has worn many hats since he started teaching college preparatory math and science at Kwantlen College -- now Kwantlen Polytechnic University -- in 1975: teacher, dean, senator, faculty association president and vice-president, and now teacher and member of Kwantlen's board of governors.

But one role Dean, 65, has voluntarily adopted since 1984 is campaigner for better post-secondary opportunities in British Columbia's South Fraser region, which comprises the cities of Richmond, Surrey, Delta, and Langley. He doesn't speak for Kwantlen, but the institution agrees that the university -- if not the region -- needs more funding.

That's because the region south of British Columbia's Fraser River is growing rapidly, but the number of spots for full-time post-secondary students isn't keeping up.

There are nine public post-secondary institutions north of the Fraser River. Combined they have 95,339 seats for both full-time and part-time students. These seats are measured as full-time equivalents or FTEs. The region has a population of just over 1.52 million residents. That comes to 62.5 FTEs per 1,000 people.

South of the Fraser River, Kwantlen and Simon Fraser University's Surrey campus are the only public post-secondary options. According to Dean's data, the two institutions combined receive funding for 11,541 FTEs for a population of 904,247 people. That's 12.8 FTEs per 1,000 people or one-fifth the seats found north of the Fraser.

Dean's numbers are from 2010, but he says the FTE-population ratio has gotten worse as the region has grown to encompass 21 per cent of the province's population, while funding levels have decreased. Fifty per cent of Kwantlen's operations budget today comes from government funding, compared to 56 per cent in 2010.

Dean argues that students pay for the underfunding of post-secondary education in the region by commuting or moving away to attend school. It's especially harder on students juggling family and work commitments with school.

"And what the heck," he said. "Why should people here have to be doing things differently than they do if they live in North Vancouver or Mission?"

Large youth population in Surrey

Unlike the University of British Columbia or Simon Fraser, Kwantlen is mandated to serve the region in which it is located, which includes four campuses in the region. Surrey includes a lot of young people: one-third of its population is under 19. Currently 30 per cent of Grade 12 graduates in the region attend Kwantlen, while another 33 per cent attend schools elsewhere in the Lower Mainland.

Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman says keeping students in the region is good for the economy because they're more likely to find jobs and raise families there.

"But if they have to look elsewhere for post-secondary education, then the likelihood is that they will work in other [regions]," she said. "So our human capital and our ability to attract businesses decreases."

The region has been growing exponentially since the early 1990s, with Surrey's population increasing anywhere from 13 to 24 per cent every five years since 1991, according to Census data. But the province hasn't kept pace with education funding.

Instead, she said last spring, then-advanced education minister Amrik Virk, Education Minister Peter Fassbender, and Shirley Bond, minister of jobs, tourism and skills training, told the Board of Trade that it was responsible for finding opportunities to expand post-secondary in the region.

"So the ball was put back into our court by the government," said Huberman, adding the board was frustrated by the response but will spend the spring of 2015 focusing on finding those opportunities to improve post-secondary options.

Dean held public forums

For his part, Dean has written letters and sent reports about his findings to South Fraser MLAs since 1985. He also held public forums on the issue with the Kwantlen Faculty Association; and worked with the Surrey Board of Trade to produce a report calling for more post-secondary funding.

In an emailed statement to The Tyee, current Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson said the government would need to consider the funding needs of other regions before committing any funds to the region, adding that "given the current fiscal environment, it is not possible to commit to a specific timeline for achieving further growth in the South-Fraser region."

Kwantlen's administration doesn't dispute Dean's numbers, but used different statistics to highlight the issue for the government's Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services last October.

"[Kwantlen] receives nine per cent of the [Advanced Education] funded post-secondary seats even though it has 21 per cent of the province's population," reads their submission to the committee.

Without additional funding, the government is undermining its own plans for improving training for jobs as outlined in the BC Jobs Plan, the institution added.

Kwantlen says it needs 2,500 additional FTEs to meet the growing demand. In 2013-14, the university received $7,361 per FTE from the government. Using that figure, it would cost an additional $18.4 million to add the 2,500 FTEs.

Kwantlen president Alan Davis acknowledges this increase would have to happen gradually. Its strategic plan, Vision 2018 calls for at least five per cent full-time equivalent seat growth annually.

"I don't think you can build buildings fast enough or organize the place fast enough to do better than that," said Davis.

The university would be willing to charge higher tuition in programs where students could expect high salaries after graduation to help pay for more seats, but the government has capped tuition increases at two per cent a year since 2005.

Instead the university is focused on using its space more efficiently, including offering more programs that are financed through tuition like international programs -- although Davis adds it won't come at the expense of domestic seats.

Dean, who plans to retire in 2018, isn't optimistic that government will change its mind about funding before then.

"After 30 years I don't think they are [going to listen]," he said. "It's totally depressing."