Community

Northern Lights College strives to be a significant community centre in each of its locations for academic, occupational, cultural, social or athletic activities. As a result, the College encourages the use of its facilities by community organizations and groups, and by staff members for special College functions.
Contact Campus Administration or Student Services at the local campus for more information.

In addition to the College’s community involvement on a daily basis, a report released in May 2008 by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges showed that NLC has a very positive economic impact on the economy of northern British Columbia.

  1. NLC’s service area receives roughly $134.8 million in income each year due to the annual activities of NLC and the cumulative effects of its past students. This figure amounts to 4.4 per cent of total income in the regional economy. The annual figure includes:
    1. Direct earnings of NLC faculty and staff, and college operations spending, totalling $17.3 million; 
    2. Spending effects of out-of-region students who enrol at NLC, totalling $11.2 million in added income; and
    3. Estimated productivity effects of NLC’s past and present students whose higher earnings and increased skills have been accumulating in the regional workforce for the past 30 years, totalling $106.2 million. 
  2. NLC students enjoy a 13 per cent annual return on their investment of time and money.
  3. For every $1 students invest in NLC, they receive a cumulative $3.10 in higher future earnings over the course of their working careers. 
  4. Taxpayers see a real money return of 10 per cent on their annual investments in NLC. 
  5. The Province of British Columbia benefits from improved health and reduced welfare, unemployment, and crime, saving the public some $566,900 per year each year that students are in the workforce.

The conclusion stated:

"The college enriches the lives of students and increases their lifetime incomes. It benefits taxpayers by generating increased tax revenues from an enlarged economy and reducing the demand for taxpayer-supported social services. Finally, it contributes to the vitality of both the local and provincial economies.”