The Announcement of 70 Faculty Layoffs at Kwantlen Polytechnic University

On March 10, 2025, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), a prominent polytechnic institution in British Columbia with campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Langley, and Cloverdale, issued a stark announcement: it would deliver full or partial layoff notices to approximately 70 faculty members by the end of that week. This move marked one of the most significant workforce reductions in the university's recent history, primarily targeting areas hardest hit by plummeting enrollment. The layoffs were concentrated in the Melville School of Business, affecting 55 positions, and the Faculty of Arts, with 13 positions impacted, reflecting the programs most reliant on international learners.

Faculty members received a five-month notice period, during which KPU committed to collaborating with the Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA) to explore mitigation options, such as reassignments or rescinding some notices before September 1, 2025. Provost and Vice-President Academic Diane Purvey explained that while the university had maintained regular faculty positions through the 2024-25 academic year, the revenue shortfall was too severe to extend that promise. This initial wave set the stage for ongoing financial restructuring amid broader pressures on Canadian post-secondary education.

Root Causes: Federal Caps on International Study Permits

The layoffs stem directly from federal government policies introduced in late 2023 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). These measures capped new study permits at 360,000 for 2024—a 35% reduction from prior levels—and further tightened rules for post-graduate work permits, graduate, and doctoral streams. By 2025, permits dropped to 437,000 from 650,000 in 2023, with projections for even steeper cuts in 2026.

International students, who pay significantly higher tuition fees than domestic ones, had become a lifeline for underfunded institutions like KPU. Purvey noted, 'We have been starved in terms of our funding and we were encouraged to look to international students to diversify our student population. And now with the collapse of the international revenue... we're struggling.' This policy shift, aimed at easing housing pressures and ensuring sustainable growth, has instead triggered what some call the 'biggest crisis in post-secondary education' in British Columbia.

Provincial governments, including B.C., have provided limited relief, with the 2026 budget offering minimal support for universities facing these caps. For those exploring career shifts in this climate, higher ed career advice resources can offer practical guidance on navigating instability.

Enrollment Trends: From Peak to Plunge at KPU

KPU's international enrollment tells a dramatic story. In fall 2023, the university hosted nearly 6,000 international students, comprising about 46% of total revenue through tuition and fees totaling $134 million. By fall 2025, this number cratered to just 2,360—a 60% drop year-over-year. Overall enrollment fell 25% from fall 2023 levels, with fiscal year 2025 seeing 2,000 fewer internationals and fiscal 2026 (starting April 1, 2025) projecting another 1,500 decline.

• 2022 peak: ~6,100 international students
• 2024: 4,317 (28% down)
• Fall 2025: 2,360 (60% down from prior year)
• Projected 2027: 65% headcount reduction from 2024

Domestic enrollment has remained relatively flat, rising slightly from $38 million to $41 million in projected revenue by 2027, underscoring the disproportionate reliance on international fees. This trend mirrors national patterns, where international enrollment plummeted across provinces, forcing institutions to confront chronic underfunding from public sources.

Financial Fallout: Projected Revenue Losses and Budget Slashes

The enrollment drop translates to massive revenue shortfalls. KPU forecasted a $49 million plunge in international tuition for fiscal 2026 alone. By the 2026-27 budget, approved January 28, 2026, cumulative losses reached $88 million from 2024 to 2027, slashing international revenue share from 46% to 18%.

The 2026-27 draft budget, passed by the Board of Governors despite faculty dissent, imposes $31 million in cuts versus the prior year: $25 million from salaries (including $11 million faculty, $5.5 million admin), $8.6 million non-salary (e.g., 34% cut to student awards from $7M to $4.7M). Earlier measures included freezing 20 vacancies, $3.3 million discretionary spend cuts, and overtime reductions.

In August 2025, KPU announced further cuts equivalent to 45 full-time positions by March 2026 to offset $5-10 million losses. For a deeper dive into institutional finances, explore professor salaries trends across Canada.

Affected Areas: Business and Arts Bear the Brunt

The Melville School of Business and Faculty of Arts were ground zero, as these programs drew heavily from international cohorts seeking practical, career-oriented credentials. Reduced demand led to course consolidations, fewer sections, and thus fewer needed instructors. Faculty like Carlos Sandoval, who had recently achieved regularization, faced sudden uncertainty, highlighting the personal toll.

Beyond teaching, faculty roles encompass curriculum design, accreditation, community partnerships, and student advising—functions now strained. KFA warned that cuts could delay program completions and deter future applicants by limiting offerings.

Faculty Pushback: KFA Challenges the Cuts

The KFA vehemently contested the layoffs, with President Mark Diotte delivering a letter from 263 faculty to the Board, urging budget revisions without job losses. They argued the crisis was foreseeable—financial reports flagged international over-reliance since 2018—and alternatives existed: admin hiring freezes (admin staff up 76% 2017-2024 vs. 14% faculty), deferred funds use, and less aggressive course reductions.

• Disproportionate admin growth: faculty-to-admin ratio worsened
• Budget irony: 8% admin salary hike vs. 4% faculty cut
• Grievances filed: appeals emphasizing ethical, viability concerns

KFA emphasized faculty as the 'core mission,' filing grievances and pushing for rescissions during the adjustment period. Affected members, many women, POC, Indigenous, and sole providers, faced life-altering decisions.

Impacts on Students and Academic Programs

Students confront reduced course options, potentially larger classes, and diminished support services. Student awards funding slashed 34%, exacerbating access barriers. KPU pledges to sustain program completion but admits strains, with some questioning viability of niche offerings.

Broader effects include lengthier graduation timelines and recruitment challenges. To rate experiences at KPU or similar, visit Rate My Professor.

Ripple Effects Across BC Higher Education

KPU's plight echoes province-wide: Langara College cut 80 faculty, Fanshawe 163 staff, Memorial program cuts. B.C. institutions face the 'biggest crisis,' with campus closures and rural training gaps. Federal caps decimated revenues, exposing reliance on internationals amid stagnant provincial funding.

B.C.'s 2026 budget delayed KPU housing projects, signaling scant relief. For jobs in resilient sectors, browse Canada academic jobs.

KPU's Strategies for Financial Recovery

Mitigations include hiring scrutiny aligned to strategic priorities, overtime curbs, and new revenue hunts. The 2026-27 budget prioritizes sustainability, with conservative estimates and stakeholder consultations via listening tours. President Bruce Choy deemed further layoffs 'too early to say' in December 2025.

Photo by Seth Abramczyk on Unsplash

Outlook and Pathways Forward

With intl revenue stabilizing low, KPU eyes domestic growth, efficiency, and advocacy for funding reforms. An independent B.C. post-secondary review (due March 2026) may spur change. Institutions diversifying via online programs, partnerships show promise.

For affected faculty, faculty positions and resume templates aid transitions. Job seekers, explore higher ed jobs, university jobs, or career advice.