Nicola Valley Institute of Technology


Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is the only public Indigenous post-secondary institution in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada. It started in 1983. As B.C.’s only Indigenous-led public post-secondary institution — founded by the five First Nations of the Nicola Valley and fully governed by a First Nations board of governors — NVIT has a mandate to provide post-secondary education and support services to Indigenous students across British Columbia.
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History

NVIT is British Columbia's Aboriginal public post-secondary institute. NVIT was formed as a private institute in 1983 by the First Nations bands of Coldwater, Nooaitch, Shackan, Upper Nicola and Lower Nicola. NVIT was designated as a Provincial Institute under the British Columbia College and Institute Act in 1995. NVIT spent years in the downtown core of Merritt, British Columbia. The Eagles Perch campus opened in 2002.
NVIT is a member of the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association, which was created in 2003 to represent and work on behalf of Aboriginal controlled adult and post-secondary education institutes in British Columbia.
Due to its work with Northern BC First Nations, including the Wit'suwit'in, Nisga'a, and Lake Babine First Nation, has explored a Northern campus. In 2019 the province of BC provided $2.7 million for Indigenous teacher education. In 2022 NVIT received $3.4 million in funding for mobile training units devoted to healthcare and Information Technology education.
NVIT terminated CFO Ernie Gran in September 2023. CEO Ken Tourand was terminated August 14, 2024.

Campus

Merritt

The Merritt Campus is at 4155 Belshaw Street Merritt, British Columbia V1K 1R1. Housing on the campus is set to increase to 110 units by 2027.

Vancouver

The Vancouver campus is at 200-4355 Mathissi Place, Burnaby, British Columbia V5G 4S8. In 2022 BC announced $2.5 million in funding for a new Vancouver campus.

Cybersecurity

A ransomware cybersecurity incident in December 2019 wiped out most of NVIT's technology systems.

Programs

NVIT programs and courses are accredited within the province of British Columbia.
  • Aboriginal Community and Health Development
  • Aboriginal Community Economic Development
  • Aboriginal Early Childhood Education
  • Academic and Indigenous Studies
  • Access to Practical Nursing
  • Administrative Studies
  • Bridging to Trades
  • College Readiness
  • Community Education
  • Information Technology
  • Health Care Assistant
  • Law Enforcement Preparatory Program
  • Natural Resource Technology
  • Social Work