NLC’s storied past

The provincial government forms a Regional Advisory Committee to create a community college in Northern BC.

Northern Lights College officially opens to serve the northern third of the province. Its main centre is located in Dawson Creek, but Fort Nelson and Cassiar locations are soon added.

The first president of the College was Dr. Barry Moore (1975-1979).

NLC expands its programming, now servicing Chetwynd and Hudson’s Hope from the Native Friendship Centre and the high school in Chetwynd.

The Fort Nelson centre starts working with Prophet River First Nations and also administers the newly added Atlin facility.

With the passage of the Colleges and Provincial Institutes Act, NLC is declared a Crown Corporation. NLC could now own land and have borrowing power.

Jim Kassen becomes the second president of NLC. He would keep that post for 25 years!

A new 14,000-square-foot building is constructed in Fort Nelson. In Dawson Creek, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and Early Childhood Education are added to NLC’s program offerings.

A new building—a 50,000 square foot centre—opens in Fort St. John.

The title is transferred to NLC for the Dawson Creek property, including Mile Zero Farm. Dawson Creek’s Campus Centre building is completed. 

NLC opens its Dease Lake location, with co-operation from SD 87. In Chetwynd, a new location opens with support from SD 59.

In Cassiar, NLC moves into the town’s administration building. In Dawson Creek, new daycare facilities open.

NLC’s Tumbler Ridge location opens in leased space in the Rescan Building.

Hudson’s Hope opens a Main Street location to house new programs: office administration and adult basic education.

In Fort Nelson, a 3,500 square foot addition is added.

In Fort St. John, an 8,750 square foot addition opens. NLC enters into a sharing arrangement with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC).

NLC launches a mobile learning centre to serve remote communities.

The new residence along with a community garden at the Dawson Creek campus opened.

Author Paul Dampier publishes Highways of Learning: The Northern Lights College Story.

A temporary drilling rig is erected at the Fort St. John campus as a training and demonstration facility.

The Roy Cunningham Aboriginal Student Resource Centre opens on the Fort St. John campus.

The Tumbler Ridge campus moves into joint facilities with Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

Fort St. John campus receives a donation of a service rig, outfitted for training purposes, from Nabors Production Services.

A new regional administration building opens in Dawson Creek.

The Dawson Creek hangar expansion is completed, doubling its size.

D. Jean Valgardson is hired as only the third president in the 30-year history of NLC, following the retirement of Jim Kassen.

Student housing opens in Fort St. John. In Atlin, NLC moves from its courthouse location to a facility owned by SD87

The Industry Training Centre/Oil and Gas Centre of Excellence opens at the Fort St. John campus.

Hudson’s Hope Campus closes. 

A new Indigenous Gathering Space opens at the Fort Nelson Campus, while a simulated well-site training facility is completed at Fort St. John.

Nabors Canada would later donate a full-sized oil rig to this facility – a key part of what would be named the Jim Kassen Industry Training Centre.

Construction begins for the Centre for Clean Energy Technologies (Energy House) in Dawson Creek. 

In Dawson Creek, the Science building undergoes massive renovation and transforms into the new Health Sciences building.

Active programming ends at Dease Lake and Atlin campuses.

Laurie Rancourt becomes President and Chief Executive Officer of the College.

Grand openings are held for the Indigenous Gathering Spaces at the Chetwynd, Fort St. John, and Dawson Creek Campuses.

In Dawson Creek, there is also a grand opening for Energy House and the Health Sciences building.

NLC opens its Centre of Training Excellence in Oil and Gas based at the Jim Kassen Industry Training Centre at the Fort St. John Campus. With funding from the Province, the Centre’s mandate is to coordinate oil and gas training at post-secondary institutions throughout BC.

Dr. M. Bryn Kulmatycki becomes President and CEO of the College.

In Dawson Creek, NLC opens its Trades Training Centre, a LEED gold building, heated by biofuel and “providing a model for sustainable trades college design in a cold climate, utilizing mass timber construction to create a sustainable educational environment”. (Source: Equilibrium Canada)

NLC commissions a study of the labour market in Northeastern BC, with funding from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. The study results in the “Northeast Regional Labour Market Strategy.

Todd Bondaroff is chosen as President and CEO.