In 1975, students across British Columbia saw the need to work together with a single, united movement in order to be an effective force for provincial and national change. Today, the Federation brings together over one hundred and seventy thousand students from fifteen university and college students’ unions across British Columbia.
The Federation provides a venue for for students to effectively communicate, collaborate, organize, and mobilize to advocate collective interests locally, provincially, and nationally. The Federation also provides valuable services for individual members and member local students’ unions.
All positive changes to public education in the last century have come from people working together to fight for something better. When it comes to building better communities and better public services, we are stronger when we work together than when we are working alone. Governments—both provincial and federal—are often reluctant to implement policies that benefit students and their families. A chorus of voices calling for a common goal is a powerful tool to bring about change. Working together through the Federation gives students across BC a united voice and influence on public policy.
By working together for more than 40 years, students have won some major victories, including:
BC’s tuition fee cap
ongoing, started in 2005
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$800 million in new federal funding for post-secondary education
2007
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Canada’s first national system of grants for low- and middle-income students
2008
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A U-Pass for Vancouver students
2011
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Tuition fee-free adult basic education and English language learning programs
2017
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A reduction in interest on BC student loans
2017
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Elimination of interest on BC student loans
2019
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Funding for open education resources development
2019
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Introduction of the BC Access Grant
2020
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Temporary elimination of 20 hour/week work limits for international students
2022
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Elimination of interest on federal student loans
2023
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Increase to the Canada Student Grant
2023
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