Vancouver Island University’s Cowichan Trades Centre will be moving to Nanaimo after it was deemed the leased building would require millions in retrofitting.
The building, which was leased until June 2026, was leased from the School District and VIU says due to their current financial situation it’s just not feasible to make repairs to keep the program.
“Significant and costly upgrades, totalling in the millions, are required to continue its use,” the university says. “In our current financial context, we’re unable to make these investments.”
The three trades programs will be relocated to Nanaimo starting in the fall of 2026 and acting president and vice-chancellor Emily Huner says this is a huge loss for the Cowichan campus but they’re going to continue to support a smooth transition.
“Cowichan campus will become the home of a new centralized Continuing Education unit that will coordinate and expand VIU’s non-credit and lifelong learning offerings across the region,” she says. “This new unit will enable a more strategic, unified approach to community work and workforce programming and allow us to better respond to local needs.”
VIU says they’re not going to cancel the three trades programs (refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, carpentry, and hairdressing,) they’ll just be relocated where existing infrastructure will allow the university to absorb students without disruptions.
