Campus Alberta West A Post‐Secondary Education Plan for Hinton Enhancing Opportunities for Educational Partnering

Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc. for the Town of Hinton

ABSTRACT The development of a post‐secondary education institution to serve Hinton and the West Yellowhead Region is critical to the future economic growth of the region and to the well‐being of its citizens. This report outlines a strategic approach to the achievement of that objective, and documents how the current provincial post‐ secondary education restructuring plans make this the ‘right’ time for action. 2 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

INTRODUCTION 6 PROCESS 6 BACKGROUND 7 FINDINGS FROM THE CONTEXT REVIEW 7 FINDINGS FROM THE DEMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT 11 COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT OF ITS STRENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES 12 CHALLENGES 13 EXAMPLES OF SMALL REGIONAL COLLEGES 15

VISION 17 PROGRAM FOCUS 17 SUPPORT SERVICES 18 KEY QUESTIONS 20 WHAT IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENT? 20 WHAT IS THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR PROGRAMS AND COURSES? 21 WHERE IN HINTON SHOULD THE NEW FACILITY BE LOCATED? 29 WHAT SUPPORT CAN THE TOWN OF HINTON PROVIDE? 32 WHAT ARE THE CAPITAL COST PARAMETERS? 33 WHAT ARE THE OPERATING COST PARAMETERS? 34 THE VISION RESTATED 35

IMPLEMENTATION 37 SHORT TERM – THE NEXT SIX MONTHS 37 LONGER TERM 37

Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 3

Excerpt from a speech delivered by the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology at the civic dinner to recognize the 10th anniversary of Campus Alberta West

Wow, what progress we in Alberta have made, and how proud I am to be in Hinton today.

Why? Because the partnership that was forged in 2009 between the Municipality of Hinton and the Alberta government to radically expand post-secondary education opportunities for West Yellowhead has paid off big time. We have doubled post-secondary engagement for our high school graduates (as well as massively increasing high school graduation rates). Where once we were near the bottom of the provincial league table for these statistics, we are climbing up and by 2030 our goal is to be #1 in Canada.

And we have done it through a partnership between your and my governments.

Just look around you at this beautiful campus with its several buildings. We provided the capital funding, but the Municipality of Hinton provides those vital student support services which attract students and meet their needs such as for recreation, and childcare and family support services.

I would also like to salute our industry partners: just think, every student here does on the job training of some sort in this and other West Yellowhead communities.

I would also like to recognize my colleague from Sustainable Resource Development: the renovations to what used to be known as Hinton Training Centre have not only expanded their forestry training programs, but also made possible our shared accommodation services, our science faculty spaces and our research partnerships in forestry and environmental sciences.

A superb achievement that has been the product of excellent foresight and dogged pursuit of that vision. 4 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

Executive Summary

The Town of Hinton is committed to strengthening the delivery of post-secondary education in Hinton and across the West Yellowhead region. Post-secondary education is currently delivered by the Yellowhead Region Education Consortium (YREC) which is an independent agency under the administrative control of Grant MacEwan College; it delivers a range of programs from multiple colleges from a leased building that it has occupied for the last 25 years.

The Town of Hinton believe that post-secondary education is Alberta’s post-secondary critical to many aspects of the town’s growth, in particular facilities must be accessible to economic diversification and community enhancement, but Albertans throughout the also to the personal development of its citizens. In its province, providing enough endeavours to enhance post-secondary education it is acting student spaces for high on behalf of and has the full support of a broad group of demand programs as well as stakeholders. an adequate amount of student spaces for a diverse range of Hinton’s vision for a stronger post-secondary education programs across the province. presence and institution is built on strong foundations: its The fact that Alberta’s central position within the West Yellowhead region, its vibrant educational attainment rates economy, its long history of research and training as the are lower than the Canadian home of the Hinton Training Centre and the Foothills average continues to be a Research Institute, and its commitment to innovation challenge. Alberta’s post- especially related to environmental sustainability. secondary facilities must be designed and built to ensure In building the stronger presence, Hinton will need to that they meet the needs of overcome a number of challenges, but these are indeed the learners. very reason why a stronger presence is essential: its Alberta’s 20-Year Strategic geography and location at the gateway to the Rockies Capital Plan, page 49 disenfranchises its young people from the opportunities offered in Edmonton and Calgary, or at the very least imposes a severe financial burden not carried by residents in those centres; the resulting low post-secondary education participation rates are exacerbated by the strength of its economy; and the lack of a building which clearly says ’post-secondary education is important’ is a further discouragement to participation.

Council’s interest in creating in Hinton, for the West Yellowhead region, Campus Alberta West, is also built on the provincial government’s current Campus Alberta initiative. This seeks to reposition education, especially post-secondary education, into the context of lifelong learning for everyone. This initiative seeks to improve the post-secondary education engagement and attainment of Albertans, which is on many scales the lowest of any Canadian province. It should also be noted that the lowest levels are found in the rural and northern areas of the province, including the West Yellowhead region.

This report delivers a vision for post-secondary education in the West Yellowhead region. It looks at organizational issues, the courses and program bands on which Campus Alberta West should focus, and the possible locations for the new campus. It also discusses the business aspects: the capital and operating cost parameters, and the roles that the Town could play in developing and supporting the campus. It stresses that success, both in building the campus and supporting greater engagement by residents, will only occur if a partnership approach is adopted between the Town and its community and recreation services, and the province and its appointed steward for the region, NorQuest College. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 5

The report concludes with a concise vision statement and a short and longer term implementation plan.

Our vision is to create Campus Alberta West with a vibrant campus that delivers a range of programs critical to the future of Hinton and the West Yellowhead region: trades and technology, health professions, business, and eventually tourism and outdoor recreation, as well as university transfer programs and academic upgrading. The campus will be a partnership between AAET and the Town of Hinton, and will be under the stewardship of NorQuest College. It will be located in Hinton’s Learning to Leisure Corridor, and shared services will include recreation, childcare and family support, parking and transit. Local industry and employers will be partners in new approaches that blend work and learning. The new campus will include a new facility to replace the current YREC building, and will eventually share facilities and services with a renovated, expanded and enhanced Hinton Training Centre.

The implementation plan identifies the following key steps that should be taken over the next year. The goal over the next six months should be to get provincial support for the plan.

The following should be the steps in moving toward this goal:

• Adoption of the Plan. • Building support within the West Yellowhead region. • Communicating with provincial agencies at both the political and bureaucratic levels. • Formation of stakeholders into an organizational framework.

Once confirmation of support is obtained, the following steps will need to be undertaken:

• Develop educational program in detail. • Develop relationship plan with Hinton Training Centre and Foothills Research Institute. • Move physical facility planning forward.

6 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

Introduction The Town of Hinton, following broad consultative planning, both with local and regional stakeholders, has identified increasing post secondary education opportunities as a critical part of its growth plans, both economic growth, and personal and social growth of its residents. It has identified 2008/9 as an opportune time to move these ideas forward, given that the provincial government is currently redesigning its post secondary education system. The province has indicated that moving toward a structure that better supports lifelong learning for all Albertans is one of its fundamental goals. It has also indicated that community input is vital within this restructuring process and this Hinton-driven process will provide that community input to Alberta Advanced Education and Technology (AAET) and its partner delivery agents which are the community colleges whose programs in Hinton and region are currently delivered by Yellowhead Region Education Consortium (YREC).

In December 2008, the Town of Hinton retained the services of Yates, Thorn & Associates to prepare a Post Secondary Education Plan for the town. Process

Work on this planning process has included:

• Hinton consultations - an extensive round of consultations in Hinton and region to ascertain key issues, to identify strengths and challenges, and to review potential for program band specialization (appendix A). • A meeting with AAET – discussions with officials of AAET in Edmonton to review the evolving provincial planning process. • Context Review – a review of the wide range of background reports that provide the context for developing the Post Secondary Education Plan (appendix B). • Demographic assessment - to determine and ensure that the Plan makes good sense in the changing social and economic environment of Hinton, Yellowhead Region and Alberta (appendix C). • A review of other post-secondary institutions in other communities that might serve as models for Hinton (appendix D). • A stakeholders workshop in Hinton to share progress and ideas with key stakeholders, and a briefing meeting to share progress and ideas with representatives of AAET and involved colleges and universities (appendix E). • Development of a draft and then final report and its presentation to Council.

This report lays out the background to the report, presents the vision for post-secondary education in Hinton and Region, comments on key issues that arise from the adoption of this vision, and then suggests key steps in implementation. We have endeavoured to keep this report as succinct as possible, with much of the research material presented in a series of appendices which may be bound separately. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 7

Background

Findings from the Context Review

Post-secondary education is a topic which a number of agencies have both direct and indirect control and interest. It is a provincial jurisdiction, led by the province with delivery delegated to a variety of colleges and universities. It has an interface with K-12 education, which is again a provincial jurisdiction with its authority delegated to public and Catholic school districts. Other provincial departments have an interest in post-secondary education, such as the Apprenticeship and Training Branch of AAET. Another provincial agency with a specific interest in the Hinton situation is Sustainable Resource Development, which operates the Hinton Training Centre.

Municipal agencies are responsible for economic development and for personal and social development, both areas where post-secondary education has a significant impact.

Town of Hinton Can provide indirect support such as land, zoning approval, community infrastructure

Alberta Advanced School Divisions Education and Interested in Technology improving Provide policy Hinton’s secondary-post- framework and new post- secondary funding (capital and secondary articulation operating), institution

Hinton Training Grande Alberta Centre/Foothills Economic Region Research Institute Can bring regional Established training local government and research support for initiative. synergies 8 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

The comments made in reports1 from these agencies are as follows:

Town Of Hinton

The Town of Hinton sees an expanded post secondary education presence as a key element in achieving its four focus areas of sustainable community economic development and diversification, promoting tourism, linking innovation and entrepreneurism, and ensuring that Hinton is a place that people, especially young people, want to stay.

The Town has worked diligently to ensure that the foundations for a post secondary education facility are in place. The Learning and Leisure Corridor, running from the hospital to the high school, is embedded in the Town’s Development Plan, and the linkages to the Hinton Training Centre and its associated research and training partners are well understood.

The Town has also recognized the synergies that are potential between a new college facility, and the expansion of the community recreation, library and arts facilities in the Learning and Leisure Corridor.

The town has also explored several locations for a facility, but no decisions have yet been made, although it is within the terms of reference of this study to recommend one or two for further study.

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology - Provincial Policy Framework For Post- Secondary Education

The provincial government has moved to redefine its role related to post secondary education through its Campus Alberta initiative. As its Policy Framework notes: Campus Alberta is emerging as a key framework under which Albertans will be able to pursue and achieve their lifelong learning goals. Campus Alberta is not a program, nor is it an institution. Rather, it is a concept, a set of principles and a way in which the learning system works together to deliver seamless learning opportunities for Albertans.

This presents a vision which clearly indicates that post secondary education is for everyone, not just for an elite few. It truly is a new way of thinking among stakeholders. The goal of

Learning opportunities are available when and where they are needed and can be accessed through a variety of means

…was particularly welcomed by the people of Hinton, as was the policy direction of accelerating communities’ learning capacity so that:

Learning opportunities will be flexible in design, structure and delivery to remove barriers to participation in learning resulting from geographic location of learners, their other life commitments, and learning styles and abilities.

A 2006 report talked about vibrant communities as a place where: …learners are able to access a broad range of programs because employers, learning providers, schools, and other community organizations make it easy to move between work and learning. Communities are able to attract and retain professionals who in turn provide strong leadership in developing and enhancing learning strategies in their communities. Aboriginal communities are more integrated into the advanced learning system for all, so that First Nations, Métis, Inuit and other under- represented learners have successful outcomes.

1 For full citations, see appendix B. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 9

Learning opportunities reflect the diverse needs of communities of interest, culture and geography. The capacity of communities to achieve their learning potential is supported by collaboration among their learning partners – industry, government, learning institutions, and community and cultural partners. We will be successful when: - Communities are engaged in a broad array of learning opportunities. - Financial need is not a barrier to pursuing learning opportunities. - Employers, communities and the government are working collaboratively to ensure learning communities are healthy and economically vibrant. - Alberta can be described as a web of interlocked learning opportunities.

AAET also sees community adult learning as a key part of the post secondary education system, indicating that the work of Community Adult Learning Councils will include literacy and non-credit courses, and will be integrated into local delivery frameworks.

In terms of program bands, AAET indicate that there should be increased access to health, business, natural sciences, and trades and technology. These are all areas where Hinton would see current programming receiving further emphasis.

SRD- Hinton Training Centre

The Hinton Training Centre has the potential to be a key partner in any post secondary education presence in Hinton. It has a strong training emphasis as well as research partnerships both of its own and through the Foothills Research Institute. The provincial government has also recently conducted a needs assessment of both program and facilities, and there are various recommendations under consideration for updating all aspects of the Centre.

Hinton Training Centre is supportive of the Town's thoughts on a post secondary destination, but see themselves as only be a part of that and not the prime focus or location. In their opinion the town is far better off looking for a separate facility/location in order to maximize the synergies between the Training Centre and the new college, thus broadening the footprint in the community.

The Training Centre also provides the base from which both the Foothills Research Institute and FPInnovations (FERIC) have been developed and currently operate. The partnerships were developed with other stakeholders, however HTC had the ability to house the programs as part of the partnership. Both of those institutions have contributed greatly to land, forest, fish/wildlife and fire innovation and research that all partners are able to incorporate into their businesses. Partners are numerous including a number of Alberta government departments, other provinces, the federal government, forest industry, oil and gas industry, electrical and transportation industry, and research institutions. The number of partners and influence of the two research organizations is significant.

Hinton also benefits from the additional tourism, name recognition, and economic impacts that the HTC provides through its activities. The research institutes have hosted many national, international and global conferences/workshops that provide great benefit to the community. FRI has also been recognized with Premier's Awards and Emerald Awards for work done in Hinton. HTC itself is a national and international destination for many fire courses with participants coming from around the world to participate in the training programs. HTC has also received international recognition on training and product development, and has received both a Service Excellence and Premier's Award.

The Town of Hinton is also a proud supporter of HTC and its affiliated research institutes. It would welcome the planned upgrades and is keen to collaboratively investigate how the synergies between the training and research roles at the Centre and a new post secondary education facility could be maximized. The current HTC site is constrained by a major highway, a major 10 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc town road, other infrastructure (hospital) and topographic constraints. There is limited room for expansion, and HTC have their own objectives to achieve. However the opportunities for synergy are too great not to be pursued, although the eventual plans will need to meet the objectives of HTC first, and the Town second.

School Districts - Provincial Accountability Reporting

Information from the provincial Accountability Reporting for the two school divisions and high schools serving Hinton also adds emphasis to the need for new approaches to post secondary education in Hinton. Clearly less than half of the students in grade 10 are enrolled in post secondary education within six years, i.e. by the time they are 22 years of age, and the number reaching this goal by the time they turn 20 is even lower. While the numbers are slightly better for the Evergreen Catholic School Division than the Grande Yellowhead Regional Division, they are lower at Hinton’s Catholic secondary school than they are in the division as a whole. All these numbers are well below the provincial average, which are in themselves lower than most other provinces.

Grande Alberta Economic Region - Labour Shortage Challenge

The final report reviewed was from a study by the Grande Alberta Economic Region looking at the Labour Shortage Challenge. All the data in this report emphasizes the need for greater education and training opportunities for young people in the region. High School Profile

High School TransitHinton Post Secondary Plan ions – May 2009 11

Figure 7 High School to Post-Secondary Transition Rate (6 Year), Alberta Over 40% of high school students in Findings from the Demographic Assessment 60 58 60 Alberta either delay entry or do not 54 51 51 52 The primary demograp50hic sources used were the 2006 Census Community Profiles fotransitir Hintonon into post-secondary education and Alberta and the Alberta Advance Education and Technology report entitled Contexwithint for six years of entering Grade 10. 40 Access and Planning. This is a critical concern when 62.7% of 30 Hinton’s population is younger than the average in the province with approximately 3,0f0u0tu pre ojopbles are expected to require in the 0/19 age group in20 the town, and likely 8,000 in the region. While this age group (p0o tsto-se 19c)o isnd ary education,23 particularly unlikely to grow very much in the next decade, the next age group (18 to 34) from which the main 10 if these individuals do not subsequently post secondary education population is drawn, will grow by about 10%, peaking in 2014. Greater growth rates are project%ed for the rural areas of Alberta than the urban areas, with the efnootetrh itlhlse o pf ost-secondary system. the Rockies showing the gre2000-01atest inc2001-02reases,2002-03 from the2003-04 Peace2004-05 region in2005-06 the north to Calgary in the south. Source: Alberta Education Population Profile

Significant numbers of working-aged Albertans (120,000) do not have the equivalent of a high school Figure 4 Population Projection, 18 to 34 Years, Alberta Alberta’s 18 to 34 year old population is 975 diploma. This increases individuals’ vulnerability to labour market changes and greatly decreases projected to steadily increase to 2014 and then opportunities to access post-secondary education. 950 stabilize, gradually declining until 2017. 925 The presence of a disability can hamper post-secondary participation. Nationally, close to 50% of 900 young adults with a long-term limiting condition had not gone beyond high school by the ages of 22 to 24 as of December 2003.24 In order to address barriers to access and participation, legislation 875 requires institutions to accommodate students with disabilities. 850 High school to post-secondary transition rates are currently not available for Aboriginal Albertans. 825 Table 5 High School to Post-Secondary Geographic Service Regions, Alberta In Alberta, high school x1,000 Map 1 2006 2008 Transition2010 2012 Rate (6 2014Year), 2005-062016 * transition rates vary by Geographic Transition Source: Statistics Canada, Population Projections region. Service Region Rate Peace Table 1 Forecasted PopulationNor Grtheastowth, 18-34Overlap Years, 200763.8% to 2017 In 2005-06, high school ThereRegion are significantW oodregio Buffalonal variations in Cypress Region 63.3% Geographic 2007 2017 population growth – boRegionth current andtransiti projectoned rat. es ranged from Service Region LakesPopula Regiontion Population %62.9% Change a high of 63.8% in the Alberta Park896,091land Region954,418 61.6%6.5% Population growth in geographic service regions Athabasca Northeast Overlap to a low Central Region Calgar71,087y Region 81,313 60.7%14.4% will be strongest in the Central Region, Peace Region of 52.8% in Peace Region. Peace Region Edmon39,014ton Region43,629 60.4%11.8% Region, and Parkland RLaekgesion. Wood Buffalo Region 60.3% Parkland Region 20,033 22,079 10.2% Region Lakes Region Lethbridge6,456 Region7,039 56.6%9.0% Two regions – Wood Buffalo Region and Edmonton NE Northeast Overlap Cent13,290ral Region 14,403 55.8%8.4% Lethbridge Region – are projected to have Region Parkland Calgary Region Athabasca328,948 Region354,321 54.0%7.7% decreases in the 18-34 yearRegion old population from Cypress Region Peac27,908e Region 29,462 52.8%5.6% 2007 to 2017. Central Region Edmonton Region No317,012te: Alberta’s six year330,960 transition rate differs 4.4% Calgary Athabasca Region 10,513slightly from the 10,675department’s business1.5% Cypress plan version because mapping by Region Wood Buffalo Region 18,123 17,799 -1.8% Region geographical service region excludes Lethbridge Region 43,707charter schools, priv42,738ate schools, etc. -2.2% Lethbridge * Within 6 years of entering Grade 10. Region Source: Statistics Canada, PopulaSourtionce: ProjecAlbertionsta Education

While income levels are higher than average in Hinton, there is significant low income/poverty, especially for First Nations, Métis and lone parent families. The First Nations population (at 12% according to the 2006 Census) is twice the provincial average of 6%.

23 Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) Outlook, 2006-16 Industry Employment Outlook. 24 Statistics Canada (2008). Taking Time off between High School and Postsecondary Education: Determinants and Early Labour Market Outcomes. http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/81-004-XIE/2007005/article/10501-en.htm

10 Alberta Access Planning Framework – June 2008

4 Alberta Access Planning Framework – June 2008 12 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

The levels of educational attainment in Hinton are way below the provincial average and this is marked for all cohorts. Indeed, Alberta has the lowest high school to post-secondary transition in Canada. The Context Report notes the following key findings related to the high school population: • High school completions and transitions are uneven across the province. • A significant number of Albertans are neither completing high school nor transitioning from high school into post-secondary study. • The unemployment rate for high school graduates is significantly lower than for those who do not graduate from high school. • Increasing the accessibility of foundational skills and basic upgrading increases the opportunities available for individuals to earn their high school diploma and further their education and training at the post-secondary level. • Opportunities exist for Comprehensive Community Institutions and other system partners to collaborate and increase high school completion rates across the province.

Attendance at post secondary education institutions is about 40% part time, and this is increasing. Overall increases in enrolment are projected for the next decade rising from 140,000FLE at present to 169,000FLE in 2017. Capital expansions have been approved to accommodate part of this increase, but there are still likely to be shortfalls in the Calgary Region and Edmonton Region, of which Hinton/Yellowhead is a part.

Most of the projected shortfall is in trades and technology, health sciences including nursing, and business/management – the program bands that are most in need in Hinton.

Community Assessment of its Strengths and Opportunities The first stage of the planning process included a range of interviews with over 50 key informants in Hinton and throughout the region, representing a wide range of stakeholder groups. These Interviewees identified many strengths and opportunities on which to build the vision for an expanded post secondary education institution.

Overall Environmental Quality One of Hinton’s main strengths was felt to be its overall environmental quality and quality of life that it offered to residents of all ages. This was in part the natural amenities, but also the man- made opportunities that the town and other partners had created.

Strong Arts And Cultural Community In addition to outdoor recreation opportunities, the arts were noted as being strong in Hinton broadening on the recreational opportunity base.

Good Schools While comments related to the schools and school systems in Hinton were not always positive, the school system overall was an asset to build on, with students who would benefit from a stronger post secondary hub.

Hinton Training Centre The Hinton Training Centre (Hinton Training Centre) is recognized in Hinton as a great resource in partnership with which to enhance post secondary education offerings and, in particular, to enhance the research agenda that is essential to long term growth as a post secondary education institution.

Foothills Research Institute The Foothills Research Institute (FRI) is a true research organization and is well respected. It is a key building block of any post secondary education institution in Hinton, providing a venue specifically for applied forest practices research, but more generally providing a capacity and manpower to enhance science-based education. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 13

Technology And Innovation Alberta’s investments in the SuperNet and technology to link over distance has received great take up in Hinton. It has started to transform the educational process and provides a strong platform on which educational innovation, both K/12 and post-secondary can be built.

Strong Industry Linkages Any post secondary institution in Hinton would be assured strong and positive linkages with industry both in the town and in the wider region. These linkages included a shared understanding of each other’s needs, as well as an interest in collaborating on solutions which certainly include trades training.

Active Regional Centre Hinton’s location within the West Yellowhead region, the Town’s leadership in the region, its location on the edge of the Rockies, and its experience with post secondary education all make it the right location for any enhancement or expansion of post secondary education.

Other Innovative Programs Hinton has many innovative programs and initiatives, in all manner of sectors, on which to build: the Learning Connection, Innovista eco-industrial park, the initiative at Palisades Centre with Parks Canada, its rural physicians training…even the Mountain Pine Beetle was seen as bringing new opportunities.

YREC Is A Strength YREC itself is a strength, both as the kernel on which to build and the resources, such as local business people who instruct there, that it has developed.

Challenges Not everything is rosy, although even weaknesses and threats can be seen as challenges that must be overcome. Interviewees noted a number of such challenges:

Geography And Distance Distance both from Edmonton and between communities will be a challenge in many ways: the local population is small in number, and distance can only be overcome with video-conferencing which brings its own challenges. Hinton considers itself to be more attractive than its neighbours, but will it be able to attract students or provide out-of-town students with affordable accommodation, especially once industry starts booming again?

Affordability The cost of post secondary education is a challenge for many families and a major reason that a more complete post secondary education facility is required. Going to Edmonton, Calgary or Grande Prairie really puts almost any kind of post secondary education out of reach of many families. Even taking courses in Hinton poses financial challenges for many students, especially those with children or work commitments.

Student And Parental Attitudes To Education Affordability is one layer of the puzzle but values and attitudes are limiting factors which were commented on by many interviewees: education is not valued highly by many parents and they do not encourage their children to aspire to any more than graduating from high school. In the past, this has been reinforced by a surfeit of well-paying jobs in the resource industries which, when racked up against the costs of post secondary education, meant only the most gifted and parent-encouraged carried on past high school. Students who had post-secondary aspirations were/are also not considered ‘cool’ at either of the high schools. All these issues were multiplied for First Nations and Métis students. Add to that a concern among parents that their children, once gone to Edmonton or wherever, may never return…the odds against post secondary 14 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc education attendance are high. Some of this is changing with the changing economy, but change will be dependent on the availability of post-secondary education opportunities in Hinton. A number of people commented that post secondary education in Hinton could also assist with addressing some of the school problems, in particular the high absenteeism rate, the lack of shops for pre-apprenticeship programs, and the general problems associated with poor secondary-post-secondary articulation.

Instructors And Lack Of Staff Finding instructors in Hinton would initially be a challenge, as it is for many government and white collar jobs, although there were also suggestions as to how this obstacle could be overcome.

YREC YREC was seen as having two main challenges, with one feeding the other. The first set of challenges relate to its building which it has occupied for over 25 years. It was seen as: lacking presence, being unsuitable for modern educational techniques especially video-conferencing, and lacking space generally and specifically. The building makes it a challenge to promote post secondary education in Hinton. The second set of issues related to its inability to grow in its current facility: it was seen as not offering enough courses, not being active enough, having too low a profile, etc.

The Post-Secondary Experience If a stronger post secondary education institution in Hinton is to be successful, some consideration must be given as to how the ‘college experience’ could be created, although it should be more ‘small town’ than replicating Edmonton.

The Changing Nature Of Education A number of comments were made regarding how a new Hinton post secondary education facility could both use and should be molded by the changing nature of post secondary education. Clearly it must be on the cutting edge of technology, such as video-conferencing, must focus on a few niche markets and do them well, as well as serving the specific needs of the students, actual and potential, in the West Yellowhead region.

Hinton Training Centre While the Hinton Training Centre offered great potential linkage to any new and rethought post secondary education facility in Hinton, it also brings a set of challenges. The Hinton Training Centre has its own set of goals and objectives and if it is to be encouraged to participate in the Town’s plans, it must be offered solutions to its own problems, and synergies that will allow it to meet its own goals. It clearly serves a very different market at present and it will take careful planning to mesh its programs with those of a more regular ‘college’ variety. The synergies between the Hinton Training Centre, its resident research institutes and the new college need to be considered, discussed and maximized.

Organizational Challenges If post secondary education is to grow in Hinton, or be grown in Hinton, it will require organizations to work collaboratively. The organizations that must be involved include: schools, industry, existing colleges and universities, Hinton Training Centre and its partner agencies (Foothills Research Institute/FERIC), First Nations and Métis, unions, provincial agencies and the Town of Hinton.

Marketing And Information Better systems for communicating especially between employers and students will be required.

Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 15

Examples of Small Regional Colleges

While Alberta and Canada have many examples of large post-secondary institutions, with Universities of Alberta Every Arts and Science student and Calgary being the closest examples, size is is a member of a college. This recognized as bringing as many problems as it brings provides all the advantages of opportunities. The small college, offering a limited range of a small college experience, programs tailored for its specific audience, has a long and combined with membership in distinguished history. It is also becoming a successful the nation's top research model for delivering post-secondary opportunities in university. regions challenged by geography. North CarUinbiverosityo of T oronto website Famous examples include many of tChe Iovy Lmeagume unity Campus Colleges of the Eastern US Seaboard such as Wellesley and Amhurst. Even the oldest UK OFFICIAL OPENING – JANUARY 26, 2006 universities such as Oxford and Cambridge have kept their colleges as a way of combining Program of Events intimacy with economy of scale. While not its original modus operandi, the University of Toronto Official Opening of the Commhaunits fyr aAppreciagmentionted E ventinto smaller units to recapture this intimacy and focus for the study of specific North Cariboo Community Campus programs. 1:00pm 2:00pm Master of Ceremonies MasterA ofre Ceremas coniehasllenged by John Bowman, Vice President, Student Services Julie Andow, Graduate Student College of New Caledonia Universitgeyo ofg Nrorathernph yBritish ha Cvoleu mbiaalso Order of Proceedings Orderd ofe Pvreoceedingsloped small colleges or • Opening Prayer, Red Bluff Indian Band • Blancaun Schorchtivers,i Regionalties a Chair,s w UNBCays of bringing • Honourable Murray Coell, Minister • Betsy Ives, Regional Director, CNC of Advanced Education and Minister • Nortthh Caribooe pot Ceommntiunitalsy Campuof pso Societst- y Responsible for Research and Technology • Pressentecationson dfroamr cyo mmedunitucy membersation closer to • Ralph Troschke, President, CNC • Dr. Charles Jago, President, UNBC Cake-cthutetingir sandtu receptiondents ’ homes. In BC, • Bob Simpson, MLA for Cariboo North Tours Uof theNB newC campu wa s will e sbet aconducblistedhe d in • Nate Bello, Mayor of Quesnel following the Community Appreciation event. • Mary Glassford, North Cariboo Community Prince George in 1990, while it Campus Society now has campuses in a variety • Judith Crain, 4th year Nursing student of northern towns and cities. Official ribbon-cutting Most recently, the City of Quesnel opened a joint campus of UNBC and the

TOU ITÉ J O ÉR UR V S A L College of New Caledonia. UNBC/CNC Quesnel Campus building A New Campus for the College of New Caledonia and the University of Northern British Columbia Alberta has many small colleges, some old and some quite new. Older ones such as Camrose tend to have religious or ethnic origins, whereas newer colleges or campuses are often collaborations with the local municipalities.

Augustana College in Camrose was established in 1910 by Norwegian settlers, under the name Camrose Augustana is still inspired by Lutheran College. As a Faculty of the University of convictions that are part of its Alberta, Augustana continues to build on its reputation pioneer legacy: that personal for high-quality teaching in a friendly, caring, residence- wholeness emerges from a liberal based setting. In doing so, it provides a distinctive small- education, that the proper end of campus undergraduate experience within one of leadership is service to others, and Canada’s leading universities. In 2007, Augustana that the spirit of cooperation so Campus became the first Canadian member of the crucial to rural life invigorates human Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). The endeavor. College in 2008 had 911 students and graduated 154. Augustana website Most students come from Alberta (705). There are 91 full time staff and 58 faculty. 16 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

In Bonnyville, the local government has been a key partner in the creation of the Centennial Centre, which combines recreational and educational opportunities in one The Centennial Centre is proud to feature a pilot building, with programs offered by project in education and educational cooperation NAIT, Portage College and Lakeland that will go a long way to furthering and fostering College. community development and well-being. Comprised of three highly regarded colleges and a partnership Mountain centres such as Hinton are with the Edmonton Oilers, the CNRL Learning often locations for imaginative and Centre is combining state of the art facilities with successful post-secondary education education and opportunities for young and old alike, institutions. The Banff Centres have thus bringing the best in education to Bonnyville. become models of focus and niche Bonnyville website marketing, blending all their offerings around the mountain experience. Other mountain locations, such as Crowsnest Pass are building on this For almost 75 years, the impact of the inspiring image. mountain location, the creative atmosphere, the diverse group of participants from many Most of these colleges in rural or backgrounds and disciplines, and the strong northern areas deliver programs from support from Banff Centre staff have combined to a variety of ‘parent’ institutions. make a powerful experience that is intellectually, Already noted, the campus in Quesnel physically, and emotionally stimulating. offers courses from UNBC and CNC, Banff Centre website while Bonnyville offers programs from NAIT, Portage and Lakeland Colleges. In the UK, the University Centre Folkestone offers programs from the University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ College University.

But all offer a range of programs that directly serve their regions:

• In Duncan, BC, Vancouver Island University, Cowichan Campus offers Aboriginal Education. • In Quesnel, you can take Fire Suppression 100.

These small colleges focus on offering an approach to learning that is different and unique. They also offer their communities and their regions a 21st century approach – as the recently opened University Centre Folkestone notes on its website: The University Centre Folkestone will: • Increase the range and level of higher level learning opportunities in the region and support lifelong learning for young people and adults; • Widen access to learning for young people through creating new progression opportunities; • Work with employers to identify education and training needs; • Provide university level programmes in a range of disciplines related to the arts and creative industries, business and information, and communication and applied professional studies; • Create a resource of benefit to the regional and local community; • Forge new partnerships with other education providers and employing organisations; • Develop enterprise and research activities in partnership with employing organisations.

This set of goals would be close to those for a post-secondary institution in Hinton. More comprehensive descriptions of these post-secondary education institutions can be found in Appendix D. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 17

Vision

Planning is about knowing where you are, where you want to get to, and how to link the two. Having a clear vision of that future state – where Hinton wants to get to in terms of post- secondary education – is vital. The first step in building the vision was to review the background and context, in particular what individuals had said about their desires for post-secondary education in Hinton, and to identify what we term ‘Vision Elements’. These fell into two categories: program focus, and organizational and strategic support. Program Focus Eight broad program areas were identified as fitting well with the town and region’s interests and labour requirements. In addition many comments were made about the specific linkages between each of these program bands and the organizations in Hinton which would make their delivery a success.

Health Programs Many people, including or especially the administrators at the hospital, health centre and long term care facility, indicated that a variety of health related courses could be run in whole or in part in Hinton. Indeed many commented that more courses used to be run there than are now.

Tourism And Outdoor Recreation This was another niche where many interviewees thought that Hinton, with its location close to Jasper and the Rockies, and with a tourism industry which was already growing, might be an appropriate niche for post secondary education courses. The resources of the Palisades Centre, Blue Lake and the Nordic Centre were noted as offering potential around which programs could be built.

Trades And Technology Trades Training programs Providing more trades training was seen as a key element in required any post secondary education facility. A wide range of trades Millwrights are required (see sidebar). The linkage to the schools, which do Heavy Duty Mechanics not have any facilities to deliver such programs, and Electricians apprenticeship training was often noted. Instrumentation Welders Forestry And Environmental Programs There is a long history to training related to forestry and environmental programs in Hinton, with both UofA and NAIT once offering part or all of their degree or diploma programs at or out of the Hinton Training Centre. However over the years, both these organizations had pulled their programs back to Edmonton, although the Hinton Training Centre continues to provide related courses, mostly of a more practical nature.

University Transfer These programs are offered at present by YREC, through a partnership with Grande Prairie Regional College, although limited to arts and education degrees. Many in the school system would also like to see a closer working between YREC and the schools to ensure that talented students can earn these university credits while in school as well as after graduating. The attraction of these programs is that it provides opportunities for students to both reduce the overall cost of first year and also to get some idea of what University courses are all about without the dislocation and stress of moving to Edmonton, Calgary or Grande Prairie. The potential to expand this programming to include first year science courses was also noted.

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Literacy And Upgrading Literacy and basic grade 12 graduation courses are offered at YREC, and this should also be part of the post secondary education course content.

Business Programs Again, office skills courses are offered through YREC and these, together with a broader range of business courses, are seen as another important element in any set of post secondary program offerings.

Arts Careers A small number of people felt that there were opportunities to deliver arts related career programs, building on the exceptional arts and cultural community.

Support Services The following are some of the main support service elements of the vision for post secondary education in Hinton that emerged from the first round of discussions:

Meshing with the vision for post secondary education that is being articulated by Alberta Advanced Education - everyone felt that the time was most opportune to promote this vision, since the Province was showing leadership and moving post secondary education toward the new 21st century concepts.

Building on Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium (YREC) – there was broad agreement that, while YREC has its challenges, it could be ‘grown’ into the kind of institution that would truly reflect the aspirations of the people of Hinton and Yellowhead region, and that it could serve their needs. Given that the revised AAET system focuses on comprehensive community institutions, growing YREC into the campus of an existing institution will be the most likely institutional arrangement.

A new facility is essential – the current YREC building has served well for many years, but is not adequate or appropriate for this next stage of growth.

Linking to the Town’s Learning and Leisure Corridor – the Town has been proactive in defining its land use options and the new facility should be located in the Learning and Leisure Corridor, although exactly how and where it should fit in that corridor was not an area where there was agreement. The Hinton Training Centre lands are one alternative but there are several other viable options.

Linking to the existing community infrastructure – while the Hinton Training Centre offered one locational option, a new facility could also link within the Corridor to the recreation centre, library, high school, and Native Friendship Centre.

Linking to industry – trades training is an important driver of the new vision and linkages with the Town’s resource based employers must be a key element in any plan. However these linkages must also be broadened to ensure that YREC (and its successor) could act also to bridge the gap between industry and schools, so that all students, from grade 10 onwards, have a better understanding of their educational and employment options.

This must be a ‘green’ initiative – the Town has pioneered many innovative approaches to environmental sustainability and the new campus, organization and program offerings should continue on this path.

Course focuses should reflect the unique characteristics and needs of the town and region – it was recognized that the new organization cannot offer every course, and must focus Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 19 to be effective and deliver high quality. There were many suggestions but also broad agreement as to what these focuses should be.

A successful campus must also offer ‘student life’ if it is to develop a strong positive image with students – while many of the students will not be of the traditional 18 to 23 year group, many people commented that creating a sense of active campus life was important to all students. Others commented that adding this kind of liveliness to the town would be a complementary benefit. Stronger arts and recreation programs for instance would benefit both students and residents and would attract both younger families and older ‘amenity migrants’ to Hinton. In many ways, what Hinton is looking to model is the ‘small town, small vibrant campus’ that has many variants across North America.

Emphasizing community collaboration – it is positive to see the Town taking a leadership role on this post secondary education planning issue, but the reality is that it has influence but no power…post secondary education is solely a provincial jurisdiction. In order to achieve the vision that is widely supported in the town and region, the Town must lead the already existing broad- based community collaboration of industry, other communities in the region, and other partners in Hinton (e.g. Foothills Research Institute, hospital). If such a collaboration is to be successful, shared goals need to be agreed and a strategy, both administrative and political, adopted and then delivered.

Best practice models should be identified and learned from – there are several other Alberta towns which have developed small campuses of universities or community colleges. Some have a long history, but others are more recent initiatives. Examples are Camrose, Bonnyville, and Cold Lake. Similar models exist of multi-campus colleges where each campus has a strong local image and visibility. All around the world, the models of post-secondary education are diversifying to meet global and local demands of society and economy.

The new campus should serve all the population – in many ways, the Town’s initiative is a rejection of an outdated vision of post secondary education for the most gifted and affluent 25% of the population, and the adoption of a broader vision, which is also the vision proposed by Alberta Advanced Education, that if 70% of new jobs will require post secondary education, the campus should serve at least 70% of the population (as well as assisting the other 30% to upgrade their basic education). A range of program niches, some of which are already delivered by YREC, must be selected to meet these needs.

Broadening the campus mandate to include non-credit courses will link with Town objectives to build a learning community and will in turn attract both families and retirees who wish to live in such a community – all the research2 on creative communities indicates that a post secondary education establishment and the provision of continuing education opportunities is a key element in attracting what are referred to as ‘amenity migrants’.

Building on industry linkages to strengthen on-the-job training approaches – many of the most successful learning strategies include on-the-job training such as through apprenticeships, co-op placements and practicums. These approaches must be at the core of the unique learning style developed by the new campus.

Community collaboration to provide required supports for the educational experience – many people spoke of the barriers to participating in post secondary education such as lack of childcare and inflexible work and educational scheduling. If post secondary education is to be extended to a greater proportion of the population, then a concerted effort must be made to provide community driven supports such as these.

2 See Florida, R. (2002) The Rise of the Creative Class. 20 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

Key Questions

This visioning process identifies six key questions that are key to moving forward.

What is the most appropriate organizational arrangement?

For the past 25 or more years, the delivery of post-secondary education courses in the West Yellowhead region has been the responsibility of YREC. The role played by YREC is to identify the required courses and to work with other colleges and institutions to deliver these courses. Sometimes they are delivered solely in Hinton, although many courses now include a video- conferencing element, with the instructor at the host college and students at various locations where they can be linked in by video-conferencing. In this fashion, YREC delivers courses from many different colleges.

While YREC is the recognized entity in the region, its administrative structure is more complex. There is a not-for-profit society called the Yellowhead Region Educational Society which is the fund-raising component of YREC for student awards. There is a 13 member Regional Advisory Committee. At the Regional Advisory Committee’s AGM, members are elected to the Board of Directors, plus YREC’s partnering post-secondary institutes appoint members to the Board. The Executive Director, with the guidance of the Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction of YREC. The day-to-day supervision is in the hands of the Executive Director.

YREC is limited in its powers as it is not a self-standing legal entity therefore Alberta Advanced Education and Technology have appointed an Administrative Agent for YREC; this is Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. In legal terms, YREC is Grant MacEwan College and must follow the policies and procedures of Grant MacEwan College. For instance, the lease on their building is held in the name of Grant MacEwan College, and all staff are hired through Grant MacEwan College (unless they are the employees of one of the other colleges as is the case with several staff members). However Grant MacEwan College is very clear that it does not get involved in the strategic planning of YREC3.

These arrangements, which have been in place for close on 30 years, are about to change. Alberta Advanced Education and Technology has published a series of planning documents that propose some fundamental changes which will impact YREC’s organization and administration. In particular, a series of Comprehensive Community Institutions have been identified, each of which will have a geographic region and which will be responsible for the stewardship of post- secondary education within that region. NorQuest College in Edmonton has been identified as having a region which includes Edson, Hinton and Jasper, although Grande Cache, which is currently also served by YREC, will be in a region whose Comprehensive Community Institution will be Grande Prairie Regional College. While the arrangements are still being ironed out, NorQuest College will take over the administrative roles currently played by Grant MacEwan College, and the strategic planning roles played by the Society, although presumably with an advisory body that may be somewhat similar to the YREC Regional Advisory Committee.

There are many examples from other jurisdictions of how these types of organizational structures can be managed and structured, and it is not the responsibility of this report or of the Town of Hinton to be involved in such decision-making. However there are some organizational arrangements and policy directives that are of a concern and interest to the Town of Hinton and which come out of past experiences with the current YREC structure.

• Firstly, there need to be structures put in place that will ensure the local community, as represented by the Town, has a voice in strategic planning for the local campus. Too

3 And has indicated during this study that it would be inappropriate for it to become involved. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 21

often in the past, the Town has felt left out of decisions which have deprived its younger citizens of opportunities for advancement. • Secondly, and following from that noted above, the needs of the local community must be clearly balanced against the greater weight and pull of Edmonton. In the past, Edmonton- based institutions have withdrawn courses and programs with no consultation with the community, and with the clear indication that the interests of the hinterland were very much subservient to those of the institution. • Thirdly, and this is an opportunity that needs to be developed as well as a issue that needs to be avoided, there is a very real fear that NorQuest, as an Edmonton and urban institution, will not be sensitive to the needs of Hinton and the West Yellowhead region which is northern and rural in character.

Clearly it is not the job of the Town of Hinton to propose an organizational structure for the new Hinton facility. However the name Campus Alberta West has been proposed in the recent past, and does reflect both the ‘western-ness’ of Hinton and the community’s commitment to the lifelong learning goals of AAET. There the Town would be pleased to be the home of the Campus Alberta West, and would welcome discussing the ways in which the Town, and the other local government agencies in the region, can play a part in the strategic planning and management of the College, which is understood will be under the stewardship of NorQuest College.

What is the supply and demand for programs and courses?

YREC students sometimes take a full course load, but far more often take a few courses at a time, while they continue their employment or family duties. Data is kept as Full-Load Equivalents (FLEs) – adding up the part time students to make full time students – and as a head count number of registrants.

Source: Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium 22 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

In terms of FLEs, YREC has over the past 30 years graduated between 370 and 160 FLEs per year. The peak was in the early 1990s when the Consortium first started, but numbers have averaged around 220 over the last ten years. The distribution of students between course areas, and the number of head count registrants is shown in percentage terms below:

Source: Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium As with most academic institutions, this is primarily in the fall and winter semesters with approximately 100 (FLE) students in each semester and the balance in spring session.YREC currently offers programs in five main areas: Current Programs Delivered by… Academic Upgrading Academics for Careers and Employment NorQuest College GED Prep NorQuest College Web Class (high school credit courses) NorQuest College Business and Office Accounting Technology Certificate Grant MacEwan College Administration Management Studies Certificate Grant MacEwan College Management Studies Diploma Grant MacEwan College Office Career Training Certificate NAIT Office Career Training – Advanced NAIT Health and Community Health Care Aide NorQuest College Services Practical Nurse Diploma NorQuest College Social Work Diploma Grant MacEwan College Special Needs Ed. Assistant Certificate Grant MacEwan College Industry Training Gas Process Operations Red Deer College Apprenticeship – Millwright, Welding NAIT Oil and Gas Production Operator NAIT Power Engineering NAIT Production Field Operations SAIT Air Brakes GPRC University Transfer Bachelor of Arts Grande Prairie RC Studies Bachelor of Education Grande Prairie RC University Studies Athabasca University Bachelor of Science in Nursing Grant MacEwan College (2005 cohort completion)

About half of these programs are offered with in-class and video-conferencing programming, while the others use on-line, self-study and computer-managed learning. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 23

The numbers of students, both head count registrants and FLEs, for the last two years for these programs are as follows:

Source: Yellowhead Region Educational Consortium 24 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

In terms of current demand, given that YREC courses are offered in four locations, with a set of facilities that are marginal at best, and an ‘image’ that leaves a lot to be desired, it is not surprising that courses are sometimes cancelled due to lack of enrolment. A quick look at the demographic analysis, Census data, school accountability data, etc indicates that there is much latent demand for post-secondary education courses such as are currently offered, or, preferably, in an expanded manner.

The program mix that should be planned for should be somewhat as follows, recognizing that extensive additional research is required to match student demand, course potential and new facilities:

Health and Community The current health care programs fill the lower end of the post- Programs secondary education spectrum with the longest courses being 2 years or 4 semesters. In past years, there was a component of the Grant MacEwan College Registered Nursing program delivered in Hinton with strong support from the hospital and other health service providers. However this program was withdrawn when Grant MacEwan College, like all Canadian RN programs, moved to a BScN program. Grant MacEwan College will not have the accreditation to deliver an off campus program until its first round of nurses graduate in 2011. At that time, it should be possible to re-establish the RN, now BScN, program in Hinton.

Over the past decade, health and community services program enrolments have been increasing in both absolute numbers and as a proportion of the YREC total enrolment. In particular, the BScN program had an enrolment of 50 students in 2006/7, the last year it ran in Hinton; the Practical Nurse program also had 46 registrants (2007/8), and health care aide program 56. It is likely that all these programs could be grown, especially the LPN and HCA programs, perhaps doubling in size over the next few years.

The size of all these health care programs will depend on the capacity of the local health care system firstly to provide instructors and secondly to provide clinical placements for the students; this latter also means clinical placement supervisors. This will in turn depend on the attitude of the local health care administrators and their willingness to share their most competent staff for the double duty of nurses and instructors. Our investigations tell us that in Hinton this will not be a problem, although the reach of the program will be to other health care providers and other communities, but once again, these attitudes are anticipated to be positive.

A rough estimate of the current workforce in these areas is as follows:

Note: These numbers are for the three major health employers in Hinton, and it is estimated that there are at least three times this number of each type of health worker in Yellowhead region. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 25

Changes in scope of practice is tending to increase all these employment numbers, as is the aging population and increasing sophistication of health care. There is clearly a need for training for both the region and elsewhere in Alberta.

There is potential for training other health and wellness professionals. Social work and special needs education are two niche programs that have successfully been delivered at YREC and could grow over coming years. The linkage with health and wellness programs will remain with NorQuest and with Grant MacEwan College.

Industry Training Almost all the trades and technology courses delivered at present use distance learning techniques – essentially the hands-on portion of the course either occurs on the job through a practicum, or through the student attending for a short period of time at a NAIT campus. Other techniques have been tested, such as fitting out a trailer with equipment and moving it around a number of distance learning sites for hands-on training; it is likely that further developments in this type of delivery will be implemented by NAIT, which will benefit the off-main campus of these equipment intense programs.

Clearly NAIT will continue to be the primary partner for trades and technology courses. It has a wide array of distance learning courses and the only limitations in delivering them in Hinton will be student interest, instructors and the hands-on training facility.

There is considerable variability in the numbers of students at any one time and a new facility with additional space and strong industry backing would allow more consistency to be created in program delivery.

Partnering with the major employers in Hinton and the region is likely the only approach that will provide the keys to a successful program. Such a partnership would:

• Strengthen the requirements for workers to receive training, and accommodate this training within the working day/week. • Provide instructors who would be drawn from the ranks of the most experienced workers at each major site. • Provide on-the-job training venues and supervision for new younger workers. • Provide training venues for the more practical aspects of the college courses that would otherwise require either expensive equipment being provided in the college, or lengthy trips to NAIT campus, with consequent costs to the employee and employer, as well as wear and tear on family life.

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The following are the trade requirements as assessed by the major industries:

Clearly the program areas that should be developed are millwrights, heavy duty mechanics, electricians/instrumentation, and welders. All are required in both the forest-based and mining industry, as well as probably oil and gas.

In addition to the post-secondary education aspects of this program delivery, the linkages with the K-12 education system should also be investigated. Neither of the high schools in Hinton have adequate trades or technology classrooms, so their program offerings in the senior high school grades are lacking. This translates into poor performance and high drop out rates, with the reality being that the students with the greatest likelihood of drop out are those with the greatest likely interest in trades and technology programming. A high school program linking with college programming linking with industry support would be of enormous benefit in reducing Hinton’s high school drop-out rates.

Business and Office Business programs, of an introductory nature, are one of the most Administration important current program sets at YREC, with three colleges Programs providing courses.

Growth in these areas are relatively easy to provide with simpler equipment requirements, numerous professionals in Hinton who are happy to be part-time teachers, and a variety of short courses which often suit the needs of primarily female students looking for quick credentialization and flexible learning.

NorQuest College offers a wide range of business courses, many already offered as distance education and there is potential to expand these programs within the new, wider NorQuest area.

In assessing the demand for these programs, planners would do well to listen to the students currently taking these courses regarding the barriers that they are struggling to overcome. The clientele is primarily female aged 20 to 30, often with children and family Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 27

responsibilities and with low incomes. The provision of affordable and flexible child care would likely double the number of students overnight! The provision of student grants and subsidies would also add to the ability of these students to afford and complete the programs. While these programs are often available, the integration of the employment centre and the appropriate government offices directly into the college facility would streamline the access.

It should be noted that traditionally this has been a clientele of focus for NorQuest College, and their experience in enhancing the marketing and delivery of this program will be most useful.

In addition to these entry level courses, there is also potential to offer a higher level of study within this program band, such as adding first year university/college business degree courses. While this may be attractive in concept, and fits well with the desire of the Town to increase it entrepreneurial base, these courses likely need a higher level of instruction and commitment than may be available within the region.

University Transfer Many high school graduates are not ready, at 18 or 19, for the big Studies move to Edmonton, Calgary or other major university centres. Some do make this move but last only a few weeks to a full year before returning to the security and known world of Hinton. Others delay going to university until they are older, earning some money in those couple of years to actually pay the higher living costs of living away from home. Some of these youth do eventually get a degree, but for others, the delay becomes permanent and they never achieve their educational potential, with consequent loss to themselves and their community.

The option to take the first two years of a university degree in one’s home town is available through many colleges, and in Hinton YREC offer such programs in conjunction with GPRC4. Currently, students can start on both an arts degree or an education degree. Students can also enroll in the distance education programs of Athabasca University with the added flexibility that offers.

The expansion of opportunities in these areas would also be of interest to the high schools who have identified the establishment of such options for academic students as a high priority. The opportunity to take 100 level courses in the final year of high school, at the local college, would be welcomed by such students, as well as providing them with the same opportunities as are available in many other communities.

The GPRC courses are delivered primarily by video-conferencing, with some in-class tuition, whereas Athabasca courses are largely on-line and self-study. Both colleges have a number of other courses that can be offered in this manner.

In terms of facilities, programs in the arts and education are more easily delivered than those with a strong practical component such

4 The BScNursing program, which YREC classify as a university study course, was delivered by Grant MacEwan College. 28 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

as sciences and engineering. However a longer term growth plan for the college should be to diversify into first year basic science courses (biology, chemistry and physics). In this regard, the linkages with Hinton Training Centre and Foothills Research Institute should be examined. That facility has a number of lab facilities and a large researcher contingent which could provide that capacity to deliver the first year programs, and perhaps more, in biology, forestry/earth sciences, and perhaps the other basic sciences.

Whether the linkage here would be with the current providers of these programs, or whether a linkage with NAIT would be preferable, is a question that needs to be addressed in the ongoing planning of the college. NAIT have an interest in returning to the Hinton Training Centre as a base for some of their own programming in the Biological Sciences, and may welcome the opportunity to be a partner in this distance science programming.

Literacy And Programming for literacy and upgrading is currently offered through Upgrading NorQuest College. This is a program area where NorQuest has great familiarity and the programs have a capacity to expand significantly within their present structural arrangement, since all classes are offered as on-line and self-study.

Moving beyond this should also involve the Regional Community Adult Learning Councils.

Other program bands Three other program bands have been identified as potential for developing niche markets within Hinton and the West Yellowhead region:

Forestry and Environmental Programs – the potential to link with NAIT to deliver programming at the Hinton Training Centre has been discussed above. To the public, this linkage seems so obvious that it is hard to refute: forestry is the town’s biggest employer, the research component offers potential for undergraduate programs and instructors, the quality of the forest environment around Hinton for educational purposes is well known (diversity of ecosystems, linkage to National Park, etc)5, and programs have run here in the past. Re-establishing these programs may require a stronger set of supports, but must be feasible. Our investigations have indicated that the key to making this happen is that the town and its local stakeholders must want it to happen.

Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Programs – this particular niche brings together the region’s proximity to the High Rockies and their changing economy, with its increasing focus on tourism. The foundations on which to build this market niche are the hotels in Hinton and their need for staff, and the growing outdoor recreation centres in the National Park and at Blue Lake/Nordic Ski Centre. This is not an area where YREC has any current programming (although it did in the past deliver such programs in conjunction with

5 The source of this information is a private discussion with University of Alberta Forestry Faculty staff. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 29

Lakeland College), but other colleges have programs that could be delivered and adapted: for instance NAIT has a number of outdoor recreation programs that could be delivered through distance education. Many other colleges offer such programs in Alberta (such as Lakeland, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and Mt Royal Colleges). The potential for non-credit courses is also strong, and is an area which Blue Lake has delivered in the past as a government-run facility and which the new owners are keen to grow.

Arts Careers – while the local arts community is strong, developing this program niche would likely be a long-term goal for the college. It may be better to develop this in conjunction with the high schools which do have some facilities on which such programs could be grown.

Non-credit courses The concepts of ‘lifelong learning’ and community literacy are central to Alberta Advanced Education and Technology’s vision of ‘campus Alberta’ and the provision of non-credit courses for the general public is part of this vision. However it is not within the current mandate of YREC, nor is it possible to deliver such courses within YREC’s current facility. The provision of a new facility would open up all manner of options which would add to the overall viability of the institution and build local community support.

Where in Hinton should the new facility be located?

A key element in both forming the vision for the college and moving the initiative forward is the selection, or at least short-listing, of a site for the college buildings.

A previous site identification process has identified a number of potential sites as follows:

The Greenhouse site – on Switzer Drive between the Curling Rink and the Pulp Training Centre, this site is 19 acres in size and has recently been purchased by the Town from West Fraser Mills Ltd. It is close to the Recreation Centre and is in the Leisure and Learning Corridor, and is now zoned for community services.

Thompson Lake site – on Tocher Avenue, this site is 5.01 acres and is privately owned and listed for sale at $2.3m.

Catholic School site – this site is across from the Civic Centre at the corner of Robb Road and Eaton Road. It is owned by the Catholic School Board and is planned for a new high school as and when this is required in Hinton. It is 7.38 acres, is close to the hospital, civic centre and Hinton Training Centre, at what would be the southern end of the Leisure and Learning Corridor.

The Old IGA site – this is an unused commercial building of 12,000sq ft in the Pembina Street retail precinct. It is currently listed for sale at $1.1m.

Switzer and Boutin site – this site is 7.76 acres, is zoned for residential and is in private ownership at present. It is close to the Drinnan Village retail plaza and is close to the new residential developments at the east of Hinton.

Innovista site – various sites are available within the Town-owned Innovista Industrial Estate.

Old Liquidation World site – this is on Market Street and is an unused building of 11,000sq ft. 30 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

Mary Reimer Park site – adjacent to the park on the east end of town.

Woodlands Garage site – this site is on the west side of Switzer Drive, at the intersection of Kelley Road. It has one building on its site, which is owned by West Fraser Mills Ltd and is available for purchase.

Hinton Training Centre lands – the Hinton Training Centre is owned by the provincial government and has some lands available for growth which have in the past been considered suitable for a post-secondary education facility. In particular, the parking lot which is adjacent to the hospital owned lands and Dr. Reid Way has been identified as a potential college site.

Special Planning Area B – this 55 acre site currently owned by the Crown is located along Highway 16 adjacent to commercial use in Thompson Lake.

These 11 sites constitute the current ‘long list’, although notionally there are others which are potential elsewhere in the town.

The vision has a number of locational elements that should be used as evaluative criteria for site selection:

1. Linking to the Town’s Learning and Leisure Corridor – the Town has created this concept and it is built into its community planning. Preferred sites should relate to the Corridor, preferably be within it. 2. Linking to the existing community infrastructure – the town’s infrastructure is split between that above the Highway and that below the Highway. There is retail in both locations as well as schools in both locations. Some of the sites would also act to some extent to revitalize retail plazas which have suffered through the growth of highway commercial retail outlets. Above all else, this criteria advocates against a Highway or out- of-town or fringe location for the college. 3. Community collaboration to provide required supports for the educational experience – if the college does not link to existing child care and recreation opportunities, then it will have to develop these itself, at considerable cost. Equally it might be tempted not to develop these, which would be to the long-term disadvantage of the college, given the clientele that it is trying to reach and its very raison d’être. There is a strong case that can be made for these being municipally provided ‘partner’ facilities. The same can be said of the library. Another vision element notes that a successful campus must also offer ‘student life’ if it is to develop a strong positive image with students. 4. Linking to industry – whether ‘industry’ is the hospital or the pulp mill, proximity is important to ease of access and to building positive relationships. 5. This must be a ‘green’ initiative – while not a true locational criterion, the Innovista site would provide added ‘cache’ to the college’s commitment to be a ‘green facility’ with a leaning to positive environmental image and ‘ecoprint’. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 31

If these sites are roughly rated against these criteria, the following results:

Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 Score

The Greenhouse site 3 2 3 3 0 11

Thompson Lake site. 0 0 0 0 0 0

Catholic School site 2 1 2 2 0 7

The Old IGA site 0 2 1 0 2 5

Switzer and Boutin site 0 1 1 0 0 2

Innovista site 0 0 0 2 3 5

Old Liquidation World 0 2 1 0 2 5 site

Mary Reimer Park site 0 0 0 0 0 0

Woodlands Garage site 3 2 2 3 2 12

Hinton Training Centre 2 2 3 3 0 10 lands

Special Planning Area B 0 0 0 0 0 0 Scores: 3 is good, 2 is OK, 1 is marginal, 0 is not suitable.

Three sites fare badly: the Thompson Lake site, the Mary Reimer Park site and the Special Planning Area B site are away form the main commercial, industrial, recreational and retail centres, and not in the Leisure and Learning Corridor. The Switzer/Boutin site is marginal on a couple of criteria, but also fares badly.

Several sites have both advantages and disadvantages: the Catholic School site is on the edge of the Leisure and Learning Corridor, but not quite central enough to gain full advantage of the benefits this provides. The old IGA site is central to the development at the west end of Switzer, would be an adaptive reuse of an existing building (some ‘green’ value points gained here), but like the Catholic School site, somewhat marginal. Much the same applies to the Old Liquidation World site at the other end of town. The Innovista site has good access to its local industry and has a positive ‘green’ image, but is not well located for other amenities.

Three sites fare well: for both the Greenhouse site and the Woodlands Garage site, their locations in the below the highway, in the Leisure and Learning Corridor, close to the main industry (and to a more general sense of being close to industry), as well as being close to the recreation amenities and related support potentials, mean that they score well on most of the criteria. This all applies also to the Hinton Training Centre lands although they are above the highway and therefore a little removed from the main elements of the Leisure and Learning Corridor, although closer to the hospital and, of course, closer to their own research/training amenities.

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Overall this analysis shows that any site that is in the Leisure and Learning Corridor as defined by the Town’s planning documents would be a good location for the college, with proximity to the recreation centre/high school and their partnering potential a high priority.

If the college is to fully service its community, then it will also need to develop some residential capacities, to augment the rental accommodation in the Town (which in good economic times is well beyond the means of students), and to provide that sense of community that students are seeking in for their post-secondary years. A residential unit of 40 rooms would be adequate for the beginning. This need not be met on the same site as the actual college building, but could be some distance away, preferably within walking distance. One option for this would be to partner with the Hinton Training Centre in its redevelopment plans. Part of these plans is the refurbishment of the two accommodation units that are located on the Hinton Training Centre site; given the nature of their clientele and services and that of the college, there could be synergies to sharing those services eg food service, cleaning, etc, while maintaining separate accommodation units. This would also allow the accommodation to be in the pleasant wooded campus of Hinton Training Centre, and to be used by Hinton Training Centre when not in use by students.

What support can the Town of Hinton provide?

Across Canada and around the world, civic authorities are recognizing the value to their communities and economies that a post-secondary education institution brings.

A recent article on Ontario cites numerous examples of local governments contributing money and other assets to the development of colleges and related institutions:

• Halton Regional Council and Burlington City Council have both contributed $5m toward the construction of a $28m McMaster University building in Burlington (as opposed to across the harbour in Hamilton). This will be paid out over nine years. It also includes a commitment by the University to expand the Burlington hospital into a teaching hospital and to provide residency doctors to the Halton region. • Wilfred Laurier University is building a new campus in Milton for 15,000 students, on 150 acres of land donated by the City of Milton.

Closer to home, the Bonnyville post-secondary education Centennial Centre is a joint project between the Town of Bonnyville and several colleges.

The Town of Hinton has a number of possible courses of action to follow if it wants to assist the province in developing a college facility in Hinton:

• Land – the Town owns land in the Leisure and Learning Corridor which it could contribute as the site for the facility. Equally, it could use its land purchase and site consolidation powers to purchase or obtain land from a private owner and contribute that land for the facility. • Provision of tax abatement – while taxes are not paid by provincially owned properties such as schools or colleges, private industry does pay a range of taxes to both the province and the Town. The Town (and the province) has the power to rebate or waive these taxes, and this could be done in return for some commitment from the private industry partner. • Provision of ancillary or supportive services – a number of non-educational services and facilities are either required by the college or would be a significant asset to the college. Examples would be a child care facility for students and staff, a recreation centre with preferred access to college students, or a library that was a shared Town/College library. All these facilities are required or highly desirable, and the Town currently provides them all within the Dr. Duncan Murray Recreation Centre. The Town’s contribution to the new Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 33

college construction and operational funding could be to retrofit the recreation centre so that it became an integral part of the college facility. • Operating subsidies – the Town could operate the college facility with staff and operational funding that it supplies, such as maintenance, operations personnel and budget. • Grants – the Town has the ability to apply for a number of grants on behalf of project.

And of course there is always the option of providing a grant or annual contribution to the college in some kind of long term agreement.

What are the capital cost parameters?

The following parameters and issues will govern the capital cost of the new post-secondary education facility:

Enrolment and courses offered and unit cost – at the current stage in planning, the proposed vision is light on specifics related to exactly what programs and courses would be run and therefore what facilities would be required. While there is a degree of ‘chicken and egg’ in this, there is little point in getting to the greater specifics until support in principle has been obtain from key partners. However if the program mix leans heavily toward trades and technology, and if a number of science labs are required in order to offer university transfer courses in science, then the cost per square foot/metre will be greater than if the focus is on arts and business courses.

Partnering potential - equally, the degree to which these more expensive facilities can be provided in partnership with other agencies, such as industry, the hospital or Hinton Training Centre, will influence the cost per square foot/metre.

Size of facility – currently the YREC building is 13,011 square feet and is woefully inadequate for its current service level. A new facility of double this size would likely serve the initial needs of a college, although once again the degree to which partnering and shared space can be employed will allow the facility to be smaller.

Related amenities – amenities such as recreational facilities, library, and child care centre, as well as potential to share parking, will all influence the final built cost. The more that these facilities can be partnered out of the core college, the lower will be the capital cost.

Site size – current Hinton land values vary considerably from about $160,000 to $400,000 per acre. Given the current uncertainly of the provincial, national and international economies, land values are quite variable, with peripheral lands being priced lower than centrally located lands. However centrality is critical in many ways as noted above, and the Town should resist any attempts to go for such sites because the land is less expensive. The site cost is only a fraction of the construction cost and that, in turn, is only a fraction of the lifetime operating costs.

The amount of land required will depend on a variety of factors, but parking to meet Town zoning requirements for this type of building will be considerable. Once again, this is a factor that the Town can influence by sharing parking between sites and buildings in the Leisure and Learning Corridor.

Phasing – there are always a long list of ‘wants’ in this kind of planning exercise and one way of addressing these is to design them into the overall plan and scheme but to only construct in phase one the core facilities that are required. Of course, another viewpoint would see the likelihood of there being a ‘phase two’ as being so unlikely that ‘we should go for it all in phase one’. Either way, phasing is one way of reducing the initial capital cost.

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Thus, based on the following estimates, the capital costs of phase 1 could be as follows:

Land/site acquisition – 5 acres at $400,000/acre $2.00m Building cost – 30,000 sq.ft. at $300 per sq.ft. $9.00m Furniture and Equipment – at $50 per sq.ft $1.50m Fees, legal, etc – 15% of building cost $1.35m Total Estimate $13.85m

What are the operating cost parameters?

Three key points must be made before discussing the more mundane aspects of operating costs:

Post-secondary education costs significant amounts of money no matter where it is provided. The Alberta Advanced Education and Technology is intending to add to the provincial capacity to deliver courses, so provincially both operating and capital dollars will be spent anyway. In fact, the costs of operating a facility in Hinton, where strong partnering relationships can keep down the costs to the province, is likely less than in a major centre like Edmonton.

The costs of post-secondary education fall primarily to the student and his/her family. As noted earlier in this report, the cost to northern and rural students and their families of moving to a major centre for educational purposes is very high. By expanding the post-secondary education capacity in Hinton, the costs to Hintonites will be lower.

And lower prices, as any economist knows, leads to increased demand…which is the provincial goal for post-secondary education.

The annual facility budget of YREC is as follows:

Lease payment $110,593.50 Operating costs including utilities $48,410.64 GST $7,950.24 Total $166,994.38

Depending on how a new building is financed, there may be no lease payment, allowing this portion of YREC’s current operating grant to be used for the increased operating costs of a new building. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 35

The Vision Restated

Our vision is to create Campus Alberta West with a vibrant campus that delivers a range of programs critical to the future of Hinton and the West Yellowhead region: trades and technology, health professions, business, and eventually tourism and outdoor recreation, as well as university transfer programs and academic upgrading. The campus will be a partnership between AAET and the Town of Hinton, and will be under the stewardship of NorQuest College. It will be located in Hinton’s Learning to Leisure Corridor, and shared services will include recreation, childcare and family support, parking and transit. Local industry and employers will be partners in new approaches that blend work and learning. The new campus will include a new facility to replace the current YREC building, and will eventually share facilities and services with a renovated, expanded and enhanced Hinton Training Centre.

The new post-secondary education facility in Hinton should be known as Campus Alberta West. It should serve the West Yellowhead region under the stewardship of NorQuest College.

Its initial program focus should be growing health programs in cooperation with NorQuest College and Grant MacEwan College, strengthening its trades and technology programs in conjunction with NAIT, and its business programs with NorQuest College.

It should develop a collaborative approach with the school districts to increase university transfer programs in the arts and education.

There should be an initial focus on developing and expanding both literacy and upgrading programs and non-credit courses.

New programming in forestry and environmental programs and tourism and outdoor recreation should be the subjects of discussion with key partners over the next year to determine how best these new program bands can be implemented.

This is also true for arts careers, but it should be recognized that this is a more distant growth goal.

The college should be located on Switzer Drive, as close to the Recreation Centre as possible.

Consideration should be given to jointly phasing the renovation of the recreation centre and the development of the college facility. This would include considering:

• How best these recreation facilities can serve the college and the community. • Whether the library can be relocated and form the core of a new community college library. • How the current civic child care facility can be expanded to serve the needs of students. • How the parking requirements for the new college can be merged with the parking for the recreation centre and thus minimized. 36 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

The potential for accommodation units (40 units initially) could be met on the grounds of the Hinton Training Centre.

Hinton Training Centre/Foothills Research Institute should also be engaged in a discussion regarding:

• How undergraduate programs in forestry and environmental science can be developed, likely in conjunction with NAIT, and how the current research programs at Foothills Research Institute can be linked to these undergraduate programs. • How the renovations planned for Hinton Training Centre can contribute to the first year university transfer science programming, thus reducing the need for science labs to be built as part of the main college campus.

Town support for this college venture should consist of:

• Providing and assembling the required lands. • Continuing to lead the partnering that is essential to the Town and YREC’s vision for the college. • Supporting the provision of a variety of support services and amenities for the college, thus reducing the need for these to be provincially funded. • Leveraging grant funding for the project. Hinton Post Secondary Plan – May 2009 37

Implementation Short Term – The Next Six Months

The goal over the next six months should be to get provincial support for the plan.

The following should be the first or next steps in moving forward:

Adoption of the Plan:

• Council resolution required.

Building support within the West Yellowhead region:

• Mayor to work with fellow mayors and Councils to fashion support documents and protocols.

Communicating with provincial agencies at both the political and bureaucratic levels:

• Mayor sends report and resolution to AAET Minister and MLA, and seeks opportunity to present. Plant the seed with other provincial ministries and federal programs who may have an interest, mandate or funding program that aligns with project.

• Town Manager sends report and resolution to AAET Deputy Minister, and seeks opportunity to present.

Formation of stakeholders into an organizational framework:

• Creation of a ‘Champions’ group – a larger group of key local decision-makers whose role will be to champion Campus Alberta West. This body should be formally constituted by Council. Representatives from industry, business community, social groups, school divisions as well as both NorQuest College and AAET must be involved in this ad hoc project team.

• Creation of a small executive group to drive the initiative forward and chart progress. The current steering committee of reps from Town of Hinton, YREC and Community Futures may need to be expanded. A rep from NorQuest College should be part of this team.

Longer Term

Once confirmation of support is obtained, the following steps will need to be undertaken:

Develop educational program in detail

• Complete the definition of programs, courses and support structures. From the eight program streams identified during consultation, it is recommended that the following be enhanced or further developed in the short-term: trades and technology, health and community programs, and business and office administration programs.

• Discussions should be initiated regarding the opportunities to build programs focused on tourism and outdoor education, and forestry and environmental programs. 38 Yates, Thorn & Associates Inc

• Research from the Next Generation survey of regional employers, should be used as the basis for identifying trades training opportunities.

• Develop marketing plan.

Develop relationship plan with Hinton Training Centre and Foothills Research Institute:

• Focus on growing the research component especially the development of ‘green’ technology (broadly defined).

• Developing potential for shared accommodation services.

• Developing the potential for the delivery of 1st and 2nd year science courses.

Move physical facility planning forward:

• Further work to define the physical scope of the project should be undertaken. A picture (or in this case an architectural rendering/site plan, etc) is worth a thousand words. Work has been done on future development of the Learning to Leisure Corridor related to the Recreation Centre expansion and provides some framework for this next stage. This architectural work will need to be preceded by some additional work to further detail the program requirements and translate them into space parameters. Short list potential sites and confirm site.

• Develop facility plans and pursue funding opportunities.