Tuesday March 10, 2026 | VANCOUVER, BC [Updated March 11, 2026]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
On Wednesday March 11, the Vancouver Community College Faculty Association (VCCFA) is holding a rally to protest cuts to Vancouver Community College (VCC) programs, teachers and students.
Today the VCCFA said that the college has announced a cut of 75 faculty, which they say is the fifth round of double-digit cuts in two years.
The protest will be held at 12 noon (to 1 pm) at 1155 East Broadway in Vancouver.
A similar protest was held in April 2025.
Reason for cuts:
The cuts are resulting from the federal immigration program changes that have impacted the number of international student visas that can be granted, which has “ripped off a bandage that has been holding together a beleaguered system”, says the VCCFA in a news release today.
The cap on international students is part of an effort to curb housing and healthcare pressures in Canada but has had the unintended consequence of creating significant funding problems for many post-secondary institutions.
Health-care training impacts:
VCCFA says the provincial government is conducting a study of “these issues”, including that the college is mandated to deliver a balanced budget.
Some of the programs that will see cuts produce workers for economic sectors of “high labour market need” that the province knows require more workers, including health-care.
VCCFA lists these healthcare related programs that will see cuts: Nursing, Dental Assisting, Dental Hygiene, Continuing Care, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and Deaf Studies Programs.
“The BC Provincial Government must step in at this time of unprecedented crisis,” says Frank Cosco, VCCFA President, in a news release today.
Calling for a freeze:
VCCFA is calling for a freeze of the layoff processes until the provincial study is concluded.
Use of surplus:
Apparently VCC has an accumulated surplus that the faculty association feels should be used to enable programs to continue running.
Ministry comment:
Island Social Trends will publish available comments from the Ministry of Post Secondary and Future Skills.
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