Investing in Post-Secondary Students

Learning for a lifetime

In the labour market of today and tomorrow, a post-secondary education is essential for prosperity and growth, for both the nation and the individual. While the majority of people investing in post-secondary education are students just out of high school, there is an increasing need for adults to commit to lifelong learning and access new knowledge and training through Canada’s universities and colleges.

The Government of Canada currently invests about $9 billion on post-secondary education, comprising 25% of total post-secondary investments. This includes:

• direct support through student financial assistance, educational savings, scholarships, granting councils, research chairs and tax measures - $5 billion annually; and
• cash transfers and tax measures to the provinces in support of post-secondary education of $3.8 billion in 2004-05.

The Government of Canada’s Proposed New Investments in Post-Secondary Students

To enhance Canada ’s world-class workforce by investing in post-secondary students and educational institutions, the proposed measures include:

• $550 million to extend the Canada Access Grant for Students from Low-Income Families;
• $2.19 billion to assist post-secondary students by addressing access and affordability, ensuring manageable debt and modernizing service delivery;
• $210 million to expand the number of Canada Graduate scholarships available;
• $150 million to support international study by Canadians, to attract international students in Canada and to strengthen ties between Canadian and international post-secondary education institutions; and
• $1 billion to provinces and territories to support the capacity of Canada ’s colleges and universities to provide high quality post-secondary education.

Other measures proposed in A Plan for Growth and Prosperity (Advancing an Innovative Economy) will also support Canada’s post-secondary education system, particularly in the direct and indirect cost of research and research infrastructure.

An investment in students is an investment in future prosperity, growth, and quality of life. Better skills and better education enables Canadians to secure better jobs and earn higher wages.

Learning for a Lifetime:

• Extending Canada Access Grant for Students from Low-Income Families:  $550 million.
• Improving Student Financial Assistance: $2.2 billion.

Students Eligible for Grants could get up to $12,000

Let’s use an example. Jean graduated from high school last year and is in the first year of a four-year university program. He has secured a first year Canada Access Grant for Students from Low-Income Families for 50% of his tuition. The extension of the Canada Access Grant for Students from Low-Income Families would provide Jean with 50% of his tuition per year for the remaining three years of his program, up to $3,000 per year. This means that Jean could get up to $12,000 in grants over the course of his studies.