International student registrations at Coast Mountain College have plummeted over the last few years, resulting in the college to cut expenditures by $4 million to balance its 2026 budget.
While budget cuts aren’t ideal, they are necessary at this time, said CMTN CEO and president Laurie Waye.
“A budget cut will require some difficult but necessary decisions to refocus college operations so that CMTN is running a balanced budget without international student tuition revenue. Once scaled back, the college will be in a good position to strategically grow its operations in a focused manner.”
CMTN has already implemented cuts to management positions, travel expenses and overtime hours. In addition to budget cuts, CMTN has also adjusted the cost of food services and student housing.
CMTN is working with its staff to mitigate the number of involuntary layoffs by proposing an early retirement or offering a voluntary departure incentive. Getting the budget down to a required level will take more than just an incentive program, said executive director of external relations Heather Bastin.
“It is unknown at this time what the number of layoffs will be. We first need to analyze what options present themselves through the canvassing, what roles or work tasks the institution can function without while minimizing the impact for students, and what work will need to be maintained or reassigned.”
In addition to staffing cuts, CMTN’s board of governors reviewed a recommendation to sell two college-owned real estate assets. Until now, the B.C. government would not permit the sale of these assets. CMTN has been leasing out spaces in Kitimat and Houston since 2012 and 2017, respectively.
CMTN is working to ensure budget cuts do not impact student experience, said Waye.
“We are committed to offering quality education in these communities as we have been doing for more than a decade, by renting appropriate spaces for courses and programs when needed or using our two mobile training units.”
