The BC Teachers' Federation president says incentives could be offered to attract long-term teachers to Vancouver

Hundreds of teaching jobs have been posted in Vancouver two weeks before school returns

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Hundreds of teaching positions have been advertised in Vancouver before school goes back, but there are concerns the city is too expensive for many teachers to consider staying here long-term. The president of the BC Teachers’ Federation believes offering incentives is the key.

“We don’t want people to just come for their BC adventure, for one or two years and then go away. We want them to come, commit to a community, stay and create some stability,” Glen Hansman, president of the BC Teachers’ Federation says.

He’s heard stories of school principals having to take on roommates to afford good housing in Vancouver. And he says the starting wage for teachers is higher in other provinces.

“I’m the president of the BC Teachers Federation. I live in a shag-carpet special in Kitsilano. I don’t own, I can’t afford to buy in Vancouver. And I know lots of people in the situation. That’s the reality.”

He says because the cost of living is so high in Vancouver, there are some things school districts should do to make the city more appealing to people who want to put down roots.

Hansman says short term, student loan help or offering moving expenses could attract teachers.

“If I have $25,000 worth of student loans, if a school district was to say to me, ‘hey we’ll help pay for your moving expenses’, then maybe I’d consider it. Or if they said ‘If you are willing to stick around in our school district for five years, we’ll help assist you with your student loan,’ then maybe I’ll think about it.”

Long-term, he says authorizing teacher education programs to start increasing the intake of candidates would help.

Hansman says to make this happen, the province should signal to school districts that they’re willing to give money to these efforts.