Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, members of the committee.
I am pleased to be here with you today to discuss issues relating to post‑secondary education in French in official language minority communities. I will be speaking mainly about the objective of obtaining funding from federal sources for post‑secondary institutions that provide services to official language minority communities in Canada. My remarks will focus on the situation of francophone minorities in British Columbia and on Educacentre College.
Educacentre College was established in British Columbia in 1992 and is notable as the only francophone college in the province. It is a charitable not-for-profit organization operating under provincial jurisdiction. Since 2015, Educacentre College has been recognized as a private college by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training.
We have asked to be granted public college status but the provincial government has not agreed. Since its status is private, Educacentre College does not have access to federal funding opportunities such as the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund.
In 2023‑24, Educacentre College served nearly 3,000 people across all programs and services, including 1,018 students at the college level. The college trains a large majority of French-speaking educators in the province. The college plans to admit up to 25 international students in September 2025 and we hope that they will choose to stay in the province after completing their studies.
Educacentre College's funding continues to be the crucial issue that needs to be resolved. For the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2024, 87% of the college's funds came from the federal government, with the rest coming from income-generating activities. Funding from the minority language education support program accounts for 21% of the total budget. Of that figure, 52% is provided to fund core activities and the rest goes to fund defined projects. However, the core funding provided to the college has been unchanged since 2014. The consequences of core funding remaining static while the cost of living rises include a significant risk to the college's future posed by the widening gap between its operating costs and its core funding and the difficulty of recruiting and retaining employees as a result of being unable to offer wage increases.
This summary brings us to two key observations. The first is the financial withdrawal on the part of the province. The second is the absence of permanent federal funding for post-secondary education. These two factors are major concerns in that they contribute to the stagnation of the college's core funding. We believe it is the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that the province honours its commitment to pay 50% to match federal funding to support instruction in the minority language. If the province does not fulfill its obligation, it is up to the federal government to take measures to ensure that the necessary funding is provided to the college. Such measures could include discussions with the provinces or even legal action, if necessary.
We are therefore making three recommendations to the committee. First, we recommend that the Government of Canada provide a permanent funding envelope to support post-secondary institutions in official language minority communities. This is essential to ensure continued, stable support for these institutions. This permanent funding would enable them to do long-term planning, improve working conditions for their employees and offer hig- quality programs.
Second, we recommend that the Government of Canada take a flexible approach in interpreting its funding parameters for private post-secondary institutions in provinces where the provincial government refuses to recognize them as public institutions.
Third, we recommend that the Government of Canada take concrete measures to support post-secondary students in official language minority communities where the provinces and territories fail to meet their financial obligations. If a provincial or territorial government refuses to contribute equitably to funding post-secondary institutions, the federal government should consider making up the funding shortfall directly.
By including these recommendations in your efforts to meet the funding and stability challenge, you could contribute to strengthening Educacentre College's financial viability and ensure that it is able to continue playing its part in post-secondary education in French in British Columbia.
Thank you for your attention.