Information and Referral
| Bowen Island Public Library | The Bowen Library has a collection of physical materials and online resources to support lifelong learning. Programs and services are available to encourage educational pursuits and community connections. Online databases like Lynda provide access to free online courses, and in-person services like Tech Tutor provide instruction to help acquire useful skills. |
| Bowen Island Museum and Archives | The Museum and Archives strives to collect and record Bowen Island’s history and educate the community about historical information by providing access to heritage material. Plan a visit or browse online to view historic photos, artifacts, local maps, biographical records, and more. The Museum and Archives also hosts events like the People, Plants, and Places tour. |
| North Shore Elder College | North Shore Elder College Society is a non-profit organization that promotes life-long learning through educational courses, events, and day trips. Courses are focused on intellectual stimulation and range from archeology, history, contemporary events to book clubs and film discussion groups. This organization also hosts guest speakers on a range of topics. |
| Capilano University Tuition-Free Courses | CapU offers some courses tuition-free for seniors. If you’re 65 years of age or older before the start of a term, you don’t have to pay standard tuition fees. You’ll need to provide proper identification, and you’ll still be responsible for tuition surcharges and any other fees. |
| SFU Liberal Arts and 55+ Program | SFU’s Liberal Arts and 55+ Program has been offering intellectually challenging non-credit courses to older adult learners since the 1970s. Offered year-round, courses provide you with an opportunity to learn for the joy of learning, enhance your creativity and sharpen your critical thinking skills. Topics covered range from art and literature to history, science, philosophy, and more. Classes are open to learners of all ages, with a tuition discount for those 55+. |
| UBC Extended Learning | UBC offers a variety of non-credit liberal arts and science courses designed to enrich your life. UBC Academic Explorations are entertaining and informative online courses on a variety of topics by UBC experts, professors, and instructors. UBC Elder Scholar courses are designed to meet the needs of retired and semi-retired adults, and course formats include lectures and walking tours. One Day @ UBC is a single-day course that provides access to top experts in their field and ample opportunities for discussion. One Week @ UBC is offered in June; participants meet on the UBC Vancouver campus for stimulating lectures, lively discussion, and shared enquiry. UBC also offers seniors (65+) the opportunity to take most UBC credit (degree related) courses for general interest, free of application, tuition, or student fees. |
| Kwantlen Polytechnic University | Third Age Learning at Kwantlen (TALK) is a participatory learning experience with no quizzes, grades, or prerequisites. The learning process is lively, full of discussion, controversy, humour, insight and wisdom. Anyone over 50 years of age can join, an annual membership cost $10.00, and you can register for TALK’s courses. TALK provides a variety of course options from Health & Wellness and Arts & Culture. KPU also offers a Senior Citizen Fee Exemption. Seniors interested in completing a few courses at KPU may be eligible for a fee exemption. |
| Education and Lifelong Learning | BC government information page about lifelong learning. Educational resource links for classes and workshops, like community programs, English Language Services for Adults (ELSA), literacy organizations, and options for students of all ages to complete secondary school or postsecondary degrees and certificates. |
| BC Healthy Families’ Lifelong Learning | Resources to help you find courses at your local university, college or high school. Suggestions for continuing education programs for adults and mentorship opportunities. Lifelong learning resources include community programs, public libraries programs, adult education diplomas, Certificate of Graduation, post-secondary education, and continuing studies (non-credit) courses. |