About this letter
This open letter was submitted to Haida Gwaii News by the Haida Gwaii Teachers’ Association as a letter to the editor. While addressed to provincial leaders, it is published here to inform local readers and contribute to public discussion on education funding and learning conditions in B.C.
An Open Letter to Premier Eby, Minister Bailey, Minister Beare, and Tamara Davidson:
“BC’s students — from Haida Gwaii to every corner of this province — cannot afford further delay.”
Dear Premier Eby, Minister Bailey, Minister Beare, and Tamara Davidson,
As a new year begins, bargaining for better learning conditions in British Columbia has reached a critical moment. For educators and families on Haida Gwaii — a remote island region facing unique challenges with staffing, cost of living, and access to services — the stakes are especially high. But what happens next matters for students across the entire province.
Teachers across BC have been clear about what students need to succeed: more time, more support, and real investment in today’s classrooms. These needs stem from years of overcrowding, chronic staff shortages, and inadequate supports for students with diverse learning, behavioural, and mental health needs — pressures that are even more acute in rural and remote communities like ours.
Despite this, the government has not yet put forward funding that meaningfully addresses these conditions, or comes close to similar funding envelopes for other public sectors.
Educators are being asked to do more with less. Students are being asked to learn in under-resourced environments. Families are being asked to trust that public education is a priority, even as district budgets — in Haida Gwaii and across BC — fall behind inflation and rising needs. This is not sustainable.
At this stage in bargaining, incremental measures are not enough. What is required is a clear commitment: put adequate funding on the table now to secure a fair deal that improves learning conditions for students from Haida Gwaii to Vancouver, and in every community in between.
The public is watching. Educators are watching. Most importantly, students and parents are watching.
We urge you to show leadership, respect educators’ expertise, and make the investments needed to reach an agreement that truly supports students — including those in remote and rural regions where the impact is greatest.
BC’s students, teachers, and families cannot afford further delay. Fund education adequately. Get a deal done.
KIDS MATTER. TEACHERS CARE.
Respectfully requested,
Steve Querenjung
President
Haida Gwaii Teachers’ Association
