Students pleased with Infrastructure Concern lingers for students feeling the crunch

For Immediate Release January 27, 2009

Concern lingers for students feeling the crunch

(Halifax) – The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA), representing 75% of undergraduate, professional and graduate students in Nova Scotia is cautiously optimistic about the federal government's budget which includes a two billion dollar infrastructure investment in Canada's post-secondary insititutions.

“While we are pleased that the government has made a significant investment in infrastructure, we remain cautiously optimistic until more details are revealed around how these funds will be distributed, said ANSSA President Matt Risser. “The devil is really in the details in this case. These funds must fairly account for Nova Scotia's eleven universities and 42,000 students, and must be delivered through a streamlined and accessible process,” comments Risser.

While infrastructure represents a sound and timely investment, ANSSA is disappointed that the government did not move forward to provide targeted-grants to potential students who may be experiencing a heightened inability to pay their bills. Students are, and will remain, the primary stimulant of the knowledge economy, and the government must ensure that students are filling seats in Universities and Colleges across Canada,” commented Kelly Wilson, ANSSA Executive Director.

ANSSA and its partners made the following recommendations for targeted investments in post-secondary education coming from a federal stimulus package:

• Increase up-front grants to students who find themselves unable to cope with costs of post-secondary education
• Invest 1.5 billion in Accumulated Deferred Maintenance at post-secondary institutions across the country
• Extend the non-repayment period for Canada Student Loans from the current 6 months to 12 months and make it interest free
• Provide a one time earmarked transfer to the provinces for post-secondary education to offset freezes or claw-backs in provincial post-secondary education funding

ANSSA delivered these recommendations to Minister Flaherty in partnership with the Alberta College and Technical Institute Student Executive Council (ACTISEC), the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS), the College Student Alliance (CSA), the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) and the New Brunswick Student Alliance (NBSA).

Nova Scotia students are now looking ahead to Nova Scotia Premier Macdonald's provincial budget. Expected to be released this spring, students are looking for support for all students in order to contribute to Nova Scotia's economic and social prosperity agenda. Students hope that the next steps from the provincial government will include upfront and targeted help for underrepresented groups including rural, aboriginal, and non-traditional students.