The union representing teachers in Princeton has written to the provincial government with concerns about their needs.
The letter from the Princeton District Teachers’ Union, dated Jan. 15, was sent to Premier David Eby, Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey and Minister of Education and Child Care Lisa Beare.
It comes as collective bargaining is underway between the province’s 52,000 teachers in 60 school districts and the BC Public School Employers’ Association.
The teachers’ contract expired on June 30, 2025. Bargaining between the two parties has been underway since March 2025, but a new contract is not yet in place.
The letter, signed by Trina Moulin, president of the Princeton and District Teachers’ Union, calls for efforts to address a provincial teacher shortage in rural communities.
“Educators are being asked to do more with less — and students are paying the price,” the letter said.
“This is not sustainable. The effects of a provincial teacher shortage in our rural community are noticeable and deeply felt.”
The same thoughts have been echoed by the BC Teachers’ Federation, which represents all public school teachers in the province.
“Teachers are being asked to accept less support for students than other public sectors have received for their work. That means fewer resources to address student mental health, overcrowded classrooms, and growing workload pressures in schools,” said Carole Gordon, president of the teachers’ federation.
“Other public sector unions secured funding to manage issues like workload because it affects the quality of services they provide. Students deserve the same consideration.”
The teachers’ federation is also asking for class size limits for students from Grade 4 to Grade 12 and more preparation time for teachers.
Gordon said there is a need for more school counsellors in British Columbia. She said at present, there is a school counsellor for every 693 public school students in the province, while the North American average is one school counsellor for every 250 students.
Moulin said the one counsellor in Princeton works 80 per cent of full-time between all school sites in the community.
The student population for Princeton in the 2025-2026 school year was projected to be 474, according to budget figures from the school district. Throughout the entire Nicola Similkameen School District, there were 1,786 full-time equivalent students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, 266 students in online learning and 152 listed in inclusive learning.