B.C. government knew about the KSA’s alleged mismanagement one year ago, FOI reveals
The finance ministry launched its investigation into the KSA in March
The documents for an FOI request regarding the KSA were released in September 2025. (Sukhmani Sandhu)
A freedom of information (FOI) request reveals that the B.C. government had concerns about the Kwantlen Student Association’s alleged fiscal mismanagement — almost one year before an investigation was launched.
B.C.’s finance ministry launched an investigation into the KSA on March 13 for possible misuse of funds or other problematic conduct.
The documents, released last September, include a letter from the KSA to Premier David Eby, a briefing note about the KSA’s alleged mismanagement from the B.C. Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, dated Feb. 20, 2025, and a meeting link with the ministry’s chief of staff, Eric Peters.
The FOI request asked for any meetings between the association and ministry representatives and any briefing notes prepared for said meetings between Feb. 1, 2025 to April 1, 2025.
In the four-page notes, the ministry communicated its concerns about “allegations made against the [KSA] regarding governance and fiscal mismanagement of the society.”
The document highlighted the KSA’s December 2024 financial statements showing a deficit of $675,000, as reported in The Runner, as well as its nearly $20,000 spend on a 2024 Kelowna council retreat that included attendees who were allegedly not affiliated with Kwantlen Polytechnic University nor the KSA.
The issues notes also mentioned the KSA’s October 2024 withdrawal from the Alliance of BC Students (ABCS), a coalition of student societies that advocate for accessible and affordable post-secondary education.
Prior to the withdrawal, ABCS said it requested that then KSA associate president Ishant Goyal resign or risk being removed from his position as chairperson of the organization’s board, to which he resigned. The coalition later intended to place the KSA in bad standing.
“Issues occasionally arise at post-secondary institutions where the actions taken by a student society may not be in the public interest, for example, reductions in transparency, changes to membership, financial management issues, or external interference in society governance,” the ministry’s issues note stated.
KPU Vice-President Students Zena Mitchell said the KSA “is accountable to its members,” in an email statement to The Runner.
“KPU has previously shared with The Runner that it had concerns and has consistently encouraged the KSA’s leadership to focus the society’s resources on supporting as many students as possible,” Mitchell wrote.
When asked by The Runner about the FOI request, KSA Executive Director Timothii Ragavan sent the association’s media release about the ministerial investigation. He did not comment on the released documents. Ragavan was listed as an attendee at the meeting with B.C. government representatives.
The ministry also noted in the document that student societies “operate independently from post-secondary institutions and government” under the Societies Act — which can limit interventions by institutions.
While institutions cannot intervene in a student society’s operations, they can withhold funding. Under the University Act and College and Institute Act, student societies must have fees approved by members and provide annual audited financial statements to the institution’s board of governors.
Failing to demonstrate proper financial control would allow KPU to not be obligated to collect or remit members’ fees to the society, according to the legislation.
The issues note from last year stated that “[w]hile the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills does not have the authority to investigate allegations of mismanagement in a student society, we are closely monitoring the situation.”
Mitchell wrote that KPU reserves further comment on the finance ministry’s investigation.
