policy papers, submissions and advocacy work
Our lobbying efforts carry throughout the entire year. Our research team works with student representatives across the province to support our ongoing advocacy initiatives through the development of robust, solution-oriented policy documents.
In October 2022, the Alliance of BC Students, the UBC Alma Mater Society, the Simon Fraser Student Society, and the Columbia College Student Association lobbied MLAs to remove barriers in BC’s post-secondary education system to make it more affordable and accessible. View the research and our democratically-selected advocacy priorities.
Shared Perspectives: A joint publication on the changing landscape of student financial aid
In a time of consistent financial precarity, nine student advocacy organizations across Canada have come together to release a joint report on student financial aid across. The report looks at how both provincial and federal governments can strengthen student financial aid programs and frameworks to equitably distribute funding that targets students’ needs, especially following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many communities across the country, students faced a significant financial hit from the pandemic, jeopardizing the affordability of post-secondary for both current and prospective students.
Student Climate Action Initiative Summit Manifesto
November 2021
From November 19-21, 2021 the Alliance of BC Students hosted students from post-secondary institutions across BC at the first annual Student Climate Action Initiative Summit. The students discussed and agreed upon a list of demands for the provincial government to take action on the climate crisis. Find out what those demands are by downloading the manifesto.
Shared Perspectives: A Joint Publication on Supporting Students During and After COVID-19
April 2021
After a year of unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ten student organizations across Canada have released Shared Perspectives: A Joint Publication on Supporting Students During and After COVID-19. This publication looks at how governments, institutions, and higher-education stakeholders can better support students and recent graduates as Canada responds to and recovers from COVID-19. Post-secondary students across Canada share their perspectives on issues facing the sector, including student mental health, quality of online learning, student financial aid, and support for marginalized students.
June 2020
Each year the Alliance presents to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services on the ways that the next provincial budget should support the needs of students. This year, we had the opportunity to provide an in-depth written submission outlining the rationale behind our recommendations.
Lobby Days 2019: Backgrounders
Each year the ABCS meets with MLAs to discuss the issues that matter most to students and push for meaningful change. Learn more about the research behind our 2019 advocacy priorities.
Student Climate Action Initiative Policy Backgrounder
In November 2021, the Alliance of BC Students launched the Student Climate Action Initiative, starting with the Student Climate Action Initiative Summit. Read the Policy Backgrounder to understand the circumstances that moved us to action and why this initiative is so urgently needed.
Lobby Days Spring 2021: Advocacy Document
Each year the ABCS meets with MLAs to discuss the issues that matter most to students and push for meaningful change. Find out what we advocated for in spring 2021.
August 2020
This submission was prepared for the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training on the need for more robust data collection and reporting standards on the utilization and implementation of institutional campus sexualized violence policies.
Lobby Days 2018: Advocacy Document
Each year the ABCS meets with MLAs to discuss the issues that matter most to students and push for meaningful change. Find out what we advocated for in 2018.
Lobby Days Spring 2021: Backgrounder
Each year the ABCS meets with MLAs to discuss the issues that matter most to students and push for meaningful change. Learn more about the research behind our spring 2021 advocacy priorities.
Lobby Days 2019: Advocacy Document
Each year the ABCS meets with MLAs to discuss the issues that matter most to students and push for meaningful change. Find out what we advocated for in 2019.
Lobby Days 2017: Advocacy Document
Each year the ABCS meets with MLAs to discuss the issues that matter most to students and push for meaningful change. Find out what we advocated for in 2017.
September 2016
The White Paper outlines an easy solutions in beginning to address the BC housing crisis: allowing public post-secondary institutions to take on debt to build affordable student housing, therefore taking students out of the lower end of the rental market. This policy paper formed the foundation of our “Where’s the Housing?” campaign, which resulted in a $450 million investment from the provincial government to build on-campus housing. For more information on this campaign, check out our “Campaigns” section below.
CAMPAIGNS
students are voting- take it over!
The next provincial election will be Saturday October 24, 2020. We have partnered with student organization across the province, collectively representing 375 000 students, to ensure that our interests are represented in this election and that students are empowered when they cast their ballots.
Students are engaged, we are voting, and we have the power to make a difference in this election!
We have the power to make a difference in this election
Voter turnout rates amongst those aged 18-24 rose by 17.1% in BC since 2009, with steady increases over time. Students and young people are showing up to the polls, and have the power to change the outcome up this next election!
We are living in unprecedented times. Students have been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 75% of students reporting that their financial wellbeing will be impacted far beyond 2020. From economic recovery, to climate justice, to equitable access to education, to inclusive mental health care, students care deeply and will make our voices heard on voting day!
count on our vote
For the 2017 provincial election, we launched our campaign which aimed to get students involved with how we choose our politicians.
Where’s the Housing?
Backed up by solid research, we’ve been a leader in the push for affordable on-campus student housing across British Columbia.
“For students, the benefits of on-campus housing are obvious. We understand the value of being close to our studies, in the heart of academic life. We see that residence students form the backbone of campus clubs and campus life. We know the financial benefit, and housing security, that on-campus housing provides, away from the worries of rising rents and questionable housing quality. We know all of that, and that is why the Alliance of British Columbia Students have long advocated for more on-campus housing.”
Issues based policies
Issues based polices are positions that the ABCS has democratically agreed upon to determine our positions on certain issues in order to reflect the views and interests of our members. These policies guide our advocacy through our interactions with government, the media, and other organizations so that we accurately reflect the perspectives of our members. Select a specific issues to view our stance.
working together
BC Poverty Reduction Coalition
The ABCS has been a member of the BCPRC since 2019. The organization has done amazing work and played a crucial role in the BC Government implementing their first poverty reduction strategy.
Vancouver Just Recovery Coalition
Save Transit Coalition
Students for Consent Culture / Étudiantes Pour Une Culture du Consentement
The ABCS is proud to support the just recovery of the city of Vancouver from the COVID-19 pandemic alongside community partners and advocacy organizations.
Save Transit is a coalition of individuals and organizations in BC whose members and clients will be unjustly affected by cuts to public transit service.
Students for Consent Culture is an organization dedicated to supporting anti-sexual violence advocacy and activism on campuses acrossCanada by serving as a hub of resources, tools, community, and institutional memory for student engagement. The ABCS works alongside members of SFCC in our anti-sexualized violence advocacy, including our work on campus sexualized violence policy legislation.
Read SFCC’s “Moving Beyond Potential” advocacy document on the BC Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act (Act 23).