U of R students union calls on government to 'fund the future' of post-secondary education: Report
Saskatchewan university students are calling on the government to increase funding and lower tuition fees in a new report released by the University of Regina Students Union (URSU).
In the report, Fund the Future: The State of Saskatchewan’s Post-Secondary Sector, URSU notes that Saskatchewan students are paying Canada’s second-highest undergraduate tuition of $9,232 for the 2023-2024 academic year, compared to the Canadian average of $7,076.
According to newly released numbers by Statistics Canada, the province with the highest tuition is Nova Scotia, which is $9,575 for the 2023-2024 academic year.
The report, which was prepared for URSU by the Saskatchewan branch of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, compares Saskatchewan’s post-secondary sector to the rest of the country in relation to funding, tuition and fees, student financial assistance, as well as university spending on salaries.
In a media release, Tejas Patel, president of URSU, said provincial government funding for post-secondary education declined from 54 per cent to 50 per cent between 2010 and 2020.
The report said in order to replace the shrinking government funding, institutions across the country have increased tuition.
“The proportion of funding from tuition and fees increased from 14 percent to 22 percent during the same period,” he said.
In Saskatchewan, funding from tuition and fees rose from 14 per cent in 2010/11 to 22 per cent in 2019/20. (Photo source: URSU report)
The report also stated that the declining support through bursaries and scholarships also resulted in increasing student loans and debt.
Last week, the Saskatchewan NDP referenced the Statistics Canada tuition numbers, noting that since Premier Scott Moe took office in the 2018-2019 academic year, tuition costs for students in the province increased by 22.9 per cent.
“Students in Saskatchewan are literally paying more and getting less. This is a government that is hiking tuition while forcing institutions to make cuts to their staffing and programming,” said Jennifer Bowes, NDP MLA and Critic for Advance Education in a media release.
In an emailed response, the Ministry of Advanced Education said they appreciated receiving the report from URSU.
“We want to hear students’ voices, to inform policy and funding decisions. The Ministry of Advanced Education will take some time to review and consider this detailed information,” the statement read.
According to the statement, in 2023-24, the Government of Saskatchewan increased direct financial support for post-secondary students, and will provide over $112 million in supports through tax credits, grants, and scholarships.
“A number of Saskatchewan Student Aid programs are available to help cover tuition and living costs, including student loans, grants, scholarships, loan forgiveness and more,” the statement read.
“Graduates who live and work in Saskatchewan may also be eligible for the Graduate Retention Program, which provides a rebate of up to $20,000 of tuition fees.”
According to the report, Saskatchewan provides more funding to its post secondary institutions than all but two provinces: Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.