By Cheryl Jahn

CNC loses Tourism Program

Jul 29, 2025 | 3:38 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The community has lost the Post Diploma Tourism and Hotel Management program, for now, from the College of New Caledonia.

“It’s a really great program for the tourism hospitality industry in Prince George,” says Colin Carson, CEO of Tourism Prince George. “It’s a post-diploma program. It’s people who already have undergraduate degrees, typically in tourism, coming to get more educated. They’ve got a degree and a diploma in tourism, entering the workforce here in Prince George.”

The issue of postponing the program arose during a Tourism Prince George presentation to City Council. It was Councillor Susan Scott who broached the subject.

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“Over the years, I’ve known a great many people who’ve gone through that program and are very happily employed in the tourism and hospitality industry. And the tourism hospitality industry in our city and region is a big deal.”

In a statement, the College noted: “At this time, we won’t be doing an on-camera interview regarding the suspension of the Post Diploma Tourism and Hotel Management program. I’d like to clarify that the program has not been cancelled – only suspended – and may be brought back to CNC in the future.”

“Program suspensions and reintroductions are a normal part of post-secondary operations and can happen for a variety of reasons. We remain committed to offering programs that best meet the needs of our students and communities.”

At CNC, the program isn’t cancelled,” noted Carson. What’s happened is the last three intakes haven’t had enough students to run the program because that is a program that typically attracts international students who are interested in moving to Canada and then setting down roots here and having their career here.”

“It’s not something we outrightly control. The other aspect is that I know if you don’t have enough people to run the program, it gets hard to do that. And now those numbers have been dwindling anyway. We can’t blame everything on immigration,” added Scott.

But the pause on the program is a hit to the local tourism sector.

“We’re hearing from hotels that they’re so short-staffed already that there are concerns of them not being able to have rooms available. It’s if we’re doing our job and people are wanting to come here, that’s great.”

And Carson says it’s not just hotels, it’s restaurants and attractions and every sort of business tied to the hospitality industry.