Obituary: Dr. Peter Jones, UFV’s third president, has passed away

Dr. Peter Jones

Dr. Peter Jones, who served as the University of the Fraser Valley’s third president from 1987 to 1997, passed away peacefully at his home on Gabriola Island on March 10, 2026.

Peter served as president during a time of great change for the institution. He came to what was then Fraser Valley College in 1987, and led a challenging but ultimately successful campaign to achieve university-college status in 1990/91.

The announcement of university-college status on July 5, 1991, after many twists and turns and a groundswell of community support, allowed the newly renamed University College of the Fraser Valley to add third- and fourth-year programming and launch bachelor’s degree programs in a variety of disciplines. The degree programs were offered at first in partnership with other provincial universities and then, beginning in 1996, independently.

This laid the groundwork for regional university status, and the eventual name change to the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008.

You can read more about the eventful campaign to achieve university-college status for Fraser Valley College here.

When Peter announced his resignation in 1997, the late Noel Hall, then chair of the UCFV board of governors, said:

“Peter was the leading architect and driving force behind the development of UCFV to its present position of excellence.”

Peter Jones at his home on Gabriola Island in 2025, with his Legacy Award from UFV.

Kim Isaac, who in 1997 was president of the Faculty and Staff Association, made this statement upon Peter’s resignation:

“UCFV is known throughout the BC post-secondary sector as having unusually good labour relations, and to a great extent this can be attributed to Peter’s collegial and consultative management style.”

During his tenure, UCFV launched a number of degree programs, including the Bachelor of Arts, the BA in Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Business Administration, the Bachelor of Science, the Bachelor of Social Work, the Bachelor of Computer Information Systems, the BA in Child and Youth Care, and the BBA (Aviation).

New buildings opened during his time at UCFV included the Health Sciences Centre on former Chilliwack campus, two childcare centres (Abbotsford and Chilliwack), a new classroom complex and performance theatre on former Chilliwack campus, Building G (Library and Learning Centre) on Abbotsford campus, the new Mission campus at Heritage Park Centre, and Building D on the Abbotsford campus.

During Peter’s presidency, UFV also:

Pioneered “laddered degrees” that allowed student to ladder from two-year diploma programs into third year of a degree program.

Introduced Prior Learning Assessment concept

Launched the Career Technical Centre in partnership with the Abbotsford School District, where students entering Grade 11 took an integrated three-year program in vocational subjects, graduating at end with their Grade 12 and first year of post-secondary studies.

Began the early stages of online learning

Welcomed the first international students

Launched the first spring/summer semester

Created a UCFV First Nations advisory committee

Saw the UCFV annual budget grow from $17 million to $31 million

Saw enrolment grow from 2,225 to 4,713 students

Saw the value of UCFV buildings grow from $17 million to $68 million

Saw the number of computers on campus grow from 100 to 1,200.

Formally launched fundraising at UFV and completed a successful Future Now fundraising campaign.

Peter also:

Co-chaired a provincial ministerial commission on First Nations Access to Post Secondary Education

Lobbied for membership for UCFV in AUCC (now Universities Canada), laying the groundwork for a successful application several years after his departure

Helped found the of Advanced Education Council of BC

Sat on the board of the BC Council for International Education

Spoke about the unique university-college model at the Canadian Universities in the Year 2000 conference at the University of Manitoba in 1994.

You can read Peter Jone’s obituary here. Plans for a celebration of life service will be announced at a later date.

Peter Jones at UFV