(Ottawa – 19 March 2019) Today’s budget makes some welcome investments in learners, but does not take the bold steps needed to ensure that all Canadians can access affordable quality post-secondary education opportunities, says the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT).
“We welcome today’s investments to improve access and affordability to post-secondary education, however, we need stronger federal leadership to ensure Canada’s knowledge advantage,” says CAUT executive director David Robinson. “It is time for a multilateral framework on learning.”
Measures to improve access in Budget 2019 include lowering interest rates on student loans, expansion of the graduate scholarship program, and new funding streams for Inuit and Metis learners and minimal increases for First Nations students.
Budget 2019’s signature investment in skills training for working adults improves upon existing tax and EI programs for learning, but raise similar questions in terms of their distributional impacts.
The last top-up of federal investment in core funding for colleges and universities was in Budget 2007.
CAUT represents over 72,000 academic staff working in 125 universities and colleges across Canada.
Media contact:
Lisa Keller, Communications Officer, Canadian Association of University Teachers; 613-726-5186 (o); 613-222-3530 (cell)