Could red-tape mean the end for New Westminster school district's controversial business company? The company - which is holding its annual general meeting this month - has an uncertain future in the face of provincial government rules introduced earlier this year meant to tighten regulations around operating offshore schools.
Business company CEO Brent Atkinson didn't want to comment on the fate of the company, which runs a school and English program in Wenzhou, China, saying there will be an update at the meeting later this month. In recent years, the business company has turned a profit - repaying the $1 million start-up costs to the district.
"Whatever we decide will take place at the AGM," Atkinson said.
The school district isn't budgeting for any revenue from the business company this school year because of questions related to the new rules.
In June, trustee James Janzen, who sits on the business company's board of directors, questioned whether the endeavour was worth it for the district.
"There comes a time when you have to decide how much energy you want to put into it, in terms of diminishing returns," Janzen told The Record at the time.
"It's really just the school in Wenzhou that is really problematic," he said. "The way it reads, as a school district business company, we are not allowed to be in that business. It all has to go through these agents. They've (provincial government) authorized 15 or 16 agents to operate offshore schools, and we're not one of them. So we can't operate an offshore school."
The business company board was trying to figure out a way to work within the rules to keep the company "flying," Janzen said at the time.
The district's agent was not on the list of government-approved agents, which means he can no longer serve as the liaison with the offshore school. Another concerning change was a new annual fee of $350 for each student.
New Westminster isn't the only district feeling the pressure. Abbotsford's school district closed its offshore schools as a result of the changes. Abbotsford and New Westminster were among about a dozen B.C. school districts that created business companies after the B.C. Liberal government introduced legislation in 2002 that allowed them to run offshore schools to raise revenue.
B.C. has certified about three dozen overseas schools - most in China - to teach the B.C. curriculum and award graduates a B.C. diploma, which gives students easier access to western universities, according to a Vancouver Sun report.
Former school trustee Jim Goring said it likely isn't worth keeping the business company running.
"The amount of time and distraction for the return, I don't think was a reasonable trade off," Goring said. "I can't say it's been a positive experience for the district. The caveat is that no one is prepared to say, if it does come to an end, what's the impact on the district."
During his time on the school board, Goring pressed for the business company to open up its books and allow a review. He also questioned Atkinson's dual role as a trustee and the business company CEO. (The auditor general would later find Atkinson to be in a conflict when he was in both roles.) For Goring, the concern was the lack of transparency around the business company.
"Getting the facts from the business company has always been a difficulty," he said.
The meeting is on Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. in the library at NWSS.
