Bow Valley College eliminating language instruction for newcomers to Canada

In a move that could affect up to 1,300 students, Calgary’s Bow Valley College announced it will no longer be offering its Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs, effective when the current term ends in April.

In a statement sent to Global News, the acting president of Bow Valley College, Vaughn Ravenscroft, said the decision was made after the school was informed by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that there would be significantly reduced funding for the program.

Described on the college website as a program that helps newcomers with “English language reading and writing skills for daily life and work,” Ravenscroft said it has made a difference in the lives of many newcomers over the years.

The statement said the college is still working to determine the full scope of these changes, but confirms the elimination of programming will also impact employee positions that support the program.

At the same time the college announced the elimination of its programming, The Immigrant Education of Society (TIES) in Calgary said it has received an additional $450,000 from IRCC to expand its English language programming for newcomers.

TIES says the agreement will provide enough funding for 185 students for one year, including 60 spaces for home study students.

However, TIES estimates there are about 2,000 students on their wait list.

In response to an email inquiry from Global News, IRCC said it “will continue to take action to help newcomers access the services they need. Nationally, in 2024-25, IRCC plans to invest approximately $1.2 billion to support the settlement needs of newcomers (outside of Quebec), an increase of 4.2 per cent from the previous 2023-24 fiscal year.”

The statement added, “since fewer newcomers are expected in 2025-2027, available resources have been reduced to match this decrease.”

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