Camosun Board of Governors approves 2026/27 budget
The Camosun College Board of Governors has approved a balanced budget of $160.2 million for the 2026/27 fiscal year. This is down from the 2025/26 budget of $171.95 million as the college faces budgetary pressures mainly resulting from the federal government’s cap on international students. The college is expecting approximately 650 international students in 2026/27, down from approximately 2,200 two years ago. The 2026/27 budget’s revenue includes a one-time investment of $2.1 million from the provincial government; this additional funding will support new equipment for trades training, development for health-care programs, and other educational pathways.
Camosun student wins Canadian Junior Powerlifting Championship title
Tate Commandeur, a 19-year-old Camosun student, has won the junior title in the 105-kilogram weight class at the Canadian Powerlifting Championships for the second year in a row. The championships were held on Saturday, March 14 in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador; Commandeur broke four personal records at the event. He will be on Team Canada for the International Powerlifting Federation World Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships in South Africa in August.
New boardwalk aims to improve accessibility at Interurban
A new pedestrian pathway has been added to Camosun’s Interurban campus. The boardwalk is built from yellow cedar and stretches 325 feet. Beginning near Portable A and ending at Parking Lot 6, this pathway is designed to improve accessibility across the Interurban campus. Additional pathway improvements are planned for summer 2026.
One year of solar power at Lansdowne Library
April marked the first year of solar energy at Camosun’s Alan Batey Library, located on the Lansdowne campus. The solar panel installation, Array of Hope, has produced 49.2 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy, surpassing its initial target of 46 MWh in its first year of operation. This has helped avoid approximately 35.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and saved an estimated $8,900 in electricity costs.
Songhees elder Skip Dick passes away
Baptiste Harry “Skip” Dick passed away at the age of 85 on April 10. Dick was a widely respected elder, teacher, and advocate for Indigenous education. He was a welcoming voice at UVic and Camosun College, offering territorial acknowledgements for events such as campus orientations or special events. Camosun flew flags at half-mast on both campuses for seven days to honour Dick, and, in keeping with Indigenous traditions, all pictures of Dick will be covered or removed from campus for one year.
Camosun Innovates helps advance zero-discharge manufacturing
Camosun Innovates, the college’s applied research department, has been working with Islander Reels, a precision fishing reels manufacturer based in Saanichton, to create a closed-loop water recycling system that has significantly reduced water use in the production process for the precision reels. This system captures fine aluminium and plastic particles created during manufacturing and returns cleaned water in the same process. A working prototype is operational and is expected to reduce water usage by 1,500 litres a month.
Camosun Innovates unveils rapid-deployment sprinklers
Camosun Innovates is partnering with Nanaimo-based fire-protection equipment supplier FireBozz to further develop a compact wildfire-protection system designed for rapid deployment in case of wildfires. Conventional sprinkler systems often rely on agricultural irrigation sprinklers, which are not designed for wildfire conditions. This project focuses on portability, efficiency, and performance under variable water pressure and flow conditions.