In a "settler society" such as Canada, inequalities in higher education have geo-political dimensions, necessitating a theoretical framework that considers the geographic distribution of material wealth and power. This paper explores both the economic and social implications of the geographical distribution of the higher education system in British Columbia, Canada, including the ways in which stratification by institutional type may reinforce spatial inequalities. The study shows that system expansion has not improved regional representation, which has socio-economic implications.