It's always interesting to see how unnecessary government red tape hurts the economic interests of various industries - and actually chokes out tax revenue. The following is a guest post by Jonathan Kolber, the executive director of the International Language Academy of Canada, explaining how bureaucracy is negatively affecting his industry...

Although few may be aware of it, language instruction for international students in B.C. is directly responsible for one billion dollars in economic activity every year. In fact, collectively, international language instruction is the province’s fourth largest export industry, employing 24,000 British Columbians.

When you add in the economic activity that international students generate when they eat in B.C. restaurants, travel to Whistler, Tofino, and Victoria, go on trips to ski resorts, take train trips through the Rocky Mountains, and the “Home Stay” income received by thousands of B.C. families, that one billion dollar figure balloons to more than $3 billion in total economic activity for the province. 

What that means is that a lot of B.C. taxpayers benefit from the language instruction industry.

For thousands of homestay parents in particular, the income from the students who lodge with them helps to pay mortgages and put food on the table, and the relationships that grow from homestays make our world a little smaller.

The thousands of students who visit B.C., and then go back to their home countries, are also walking, talking commercials that interest others in coming to BC – effectively mini ambassadors that we send all over the world!

However, all of this economic activity – from the staff employed by the 100 plus language schools in B.C. to tourism and “Home Stay” – could be lost if the Province does not take steps to support this industry and allow it to flourish and innovate rather than get bogged down in overzealous regulations, hurdles, and debilitating taxes and fees. Currently the industry successfully “self-regulates” under the guidance of the government's Educational Quality Assurance (EQA) program and the industry’s own regulatory and accreditation association, Languages Canada. 

With the current fear that government regulatory changes will add substantial costs and burdens, language schools are unable to budget or plan effectively to welcome international language students, on study permits, to learn about, enjoy and help drive the economy of B.C. and Canada.

The provincial government needs to send a clear message that it will allow the industry to innovate and grow as Nova Scotia has done with legislation or as Alberta has done with industry-supported regulations.

B.C.’s private language schools have already noticed that agents abroad are starting to direct educational language tourism students to Australia, the UK and even the USA rather than risk working with the uncertainty of B.C.

The B.C. government’s own EQA brand is already well known and it guarantees the highest level of educational quality and student financial security in Canada. 

B.C. also complies with the new Citizenship and Immigration Canada regulations and protects international students with world recognised self-regulated accreditation and monitoring assurances through Languages Canada that weed out any non-compliant schools or programs. 

Let’s strive to strengthen what we already have!

The B.C. Government should be working with language schools to grow and innovate this billion dollar industry rather than considering changes that could cause it to stagnate and shut down.

By: Jonathan Kolber
Executive Director
International Language Academy of Canada
Direct: 1-647-497-9455
To request an interview: [email protected] and [email protected]