University of Northern British Columbia: Canada’s Green University, Built for the North

Nestled in the spectacular landscape of northern British Columbia, the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) stands as one of Canada’s finest small universities. With a passion for teaching, discovery, people, the environment, and the North, UNBC has carved a distinctive identity as both a research-intensive institution and a university deeply rooted in the communities it serves. Known as Canada’s Green University™—a trademark it has held since 2007—UNBC is leading the way toward a more sustainable future through education, research, and community impact.

A Dream Born from the North

The modern UNBC story began not in a government chamber, but around kitchen tables in Prince George. In January 1987, three local residents—Tom Steadman, Charles McCaffrey, and Bryson Stone—each invited ten people to a meeting to discuss the possibility of a northern university. Forty people showed up. By December of that year, the Interior University Society (IUS) was incorporated, and a grassroots movement was born. The campaign gained remarkable momentum: a region-wide petition gathered 16,000 signatures, and an Angus Reid survey revealed that 94% of northerners supported the creation of a university. On June 21, 1990, the British Columbia legislature passed the UNBC Act, officially establishing the university. Two years later, construction began on the Prince George campus, which opened its doors in 1994. The dream of a northern university, however, stretched back even further—to the 1960s, when MLA Ray Williston first set aside the land as a university reserve. Buy fake diploma online.

In the North, For the North

UNBC’s mission is simple yet profound: to serve as a university both in and for the North. This commitment has fostered a strong sense of ownership, purpose, and adventure among students, faculty, staff, and the communities it serves. The university’s motto, *‘En Cha Huná*—from the Dakelh (Carrier) Elders—is interpreted as “respecting all forms of life,” encapsulating the spirit of academic freedom, respect for others, and the willingness to recognize diverse perspectives.

Early Application Bonus Funding for Future UNBC Degree Candidates

UNBC provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate learning opportunities that explore cultures, health, economies, sciences, and the environment. With the smallest class sizes of any research-intensive university in western Canada, students benefit from close mentorship and hands-on learning experiences. Experiential opportunities range from traveling to Guatemala to work with Indigenous communities to building robots in class or simulating the impacts of climate change. The university also offers regional campuses in Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and Fort St. John, extending its reach across northern British Columbia.

Canada’s Green University

Sustainability is at the heart of UNBC’s ethos. The Prince George campus, perched on Cranbrook Hill overlooking the city, is renowned for its innovative architecture. Each building represents an element of northern Canada’s landscape: the Winter Garden evokes the west coast rainforests, the cafeteria resembles a rugged lighthouse, and the Bookstore’s triangular glass skylights recall mountain peaks. The campus is home to an award-winning Bioenergy Plant—a LEED Platinum-certified biomass gasification facility that uses local wood residue to generate renewable energy and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. All buildings are linked so that the entire university can be heated by clean-burning, renewable wood pellets.

UNBC has been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and earned a gold rating from the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS system. Through initiatives like the Green Fund and the Energy Conservation Revolving Loan Fund, the university supports student-, faculty-, and staff-led projects that turn ideas into action.

Research Excellence and National Recognition

UNBC aspires to be Canada’s premier small, research-intensive university. With over $100 million in total research funding to date, much of its work focuses on northern social, economic, environmental, and cultural issues. In 2024, UNBC set a new research income record, securing $19.6 million. The university has also earned national acclaim: in Maclean’s rankings, UNBC placed second in its category for a fourth consecutive year, marking the 18th time in 19 years it has finished in the top three among universities of its size. It ranked first in the country in the student-faculty ratio category, with just 13 students for every faculty member, and its researchers brought in more than $110,000 per faculty member in research dollars.

From its grassroots origins to its status as Canada’s Green University, UNBC remains steadfast in its vision: **Leading a Sustainable Future**—through education, research, and community impact. It is a university built by the North, for the North, and for the world.