British ColumbiaThe college said in a statement the programs were eliminated due to an $8 million revenue shortfall, tied to a decline in international student enrolment. It’s 1 of 8 programs the College of New Caledonia cancelled due to budget cutsMichelle Gomez · CBC News · Posted: Nov 04, 2025 11:19 PM EST | Last Updated: 7 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe College of New Caledonia says its kinesiology diploma program is no longer viable amid reduced domestic and international demand. (Hanna Petersen)Former students are speaking out as a post-secondary institution in Prince George, B.C., is cancelling its kinesiology diploma program as part of budget cuts. The two-year program at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) is a point of entry into a bachelor of health sciences, and to careers in health and rehabilitation. “That’s a huge loss for the health-care field as well as the community as a whole,” said Katie Paolucci Townsley, a Prince George kinesiologist who graduated from the program in 2015. It was one of eight programs the college’s board of governors voted to axe in a special meeting on Oct. 23. The college said in a statement that the programs were eliminated due to an $8 million revenue shortfall tied to a decline in international student enrolment. Enrolment of students from abroad has been declining at schools across Canada ever since the federal government announced a cap on international student visas in early 2024.“We recognize that these changes are difficult,” said the college in a statement. “However, they are necessary to ensure CNC’s long-term sustainability and our ability to continue offering high-quality, relevant programs that prepare students for meaningful careers and contribute to the vitality of communities across the North.”High demand for kinesiologistsPaolucci Townsley says there is high demand for kinesiology professionals in northern B.C., and cutting the program could make the problem worse. “Typically when you get young people leaving the north to go study … they often leave forever,” she said. She says at the hip rehab program she runs, one of her biggest challenges is finding skilled help. She says fewer kinesiologists means fewer professionals to help people recover from injuries, manage chronic illnesses, and regain strength after surgeries. “There’s going to be fewer people being able to get back to living their normal lives.” Joel Walkey, an athletic therapist and kinesiologist who works in Prince George, earned his diploma from the college in 2016. He says many of his clients are ICBC patients. A number of them, he says, commute more than 90 minutes each way for a 45-minute appointment. “If that doesn’t tell you the desperation for the profession, I don’t know what does,” Walkey said. Bruce McKay, CNC’s vice-president academic, says there was low demand for the program from both domestic and international students. “The longer-term viability of the program just isn’t there, unfortunately,” he said. The college says it will support the students currently enrolled in the program “by providing clear pathways to complete their studies.” ABOUT THE AUTHORMichelle Gomez is a writer and reporter at CBC Vancouver. You can contact her at michelle.gomez@cbc.ca. With files from Daybreak North
Former students speak out as Prince George, B.C., college cancels kinesiology program
