Campbell River campus
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In 1975, North Island College was a lot smaller, beginning in an office behind the School District 72 headquarters, but by the late 1990s growing demand meant NIC had to look for a larger space. The result was a 16,440-square-foot site that was shared with the district’s Timberline Secondary—an arrangement that continues to this day.
The Campbell River campus features advanced trades facilities, nursing, science and computer labs, as well as a cutting-edge teaching kitchen and bistro. It’s also home to the Centre for Applied Research and Technological Innovation. One of its newest initiatives, the Seaweed Innovation Hub, explores seaweed’s environmental benefits and its economic potential.
Built on a strong relationship with local industry, the campus has long offered programs that respond to the North Island's changing economic landscape, particularly in resource sectors like forestry and mining. The campus has also evolved to provide a range of trade options, along with short-term training programs such as helping to fill the demand for trained crew to fight wildfires.
As demand for education and training grew in Campbell River, the campus once again needed more space. In 2017, the provincial government announced a major investment in a new trades facility. The $17.6 million project included 58,706 square feet of new space (about the size of the Canadian Tire store in the city) and 43,830 square feet in renovated space. Work started that year, and the site was ready in time for classes in September 2019.
As the campus has grown, so too has its connection to community. Located within the unceded traditional territory of the Wei Wai Kum, We Wai Kai and Kwiakah First Nations, and as with other NIC locations, the campus collaborates closely with Indigenous communities, offering introductory Likʷala /Kwak’wala and Nuu‐chah‐nulth language courses, among other options.
The campus also opened a new Gathering Place, called Q̓ə pix ʔidaʔas, in the fall of 2022, to be home to the Elders in Residence program and student support services. The site offers a large community room for cultural celebrations, events and art displays, and a space to deliver language courses and other Indigenous education programming.
Whether it’s trades or traditional languages, NIC has always played a pivotal role in the Campbell River community.
Learn more about the Campbell River campus here.
