For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

 

HALIFAX—Students are disappointed that Nova Scotia’s provincial budget fails to address skyrocketing tuition fees, the fastest rising fees in Canada, and makes no new investments in student financial aid.

 

“This budget is a demonstration of the contempt that Stephen McNeil and his government feels towards students and young people,” said Michaela Sam, Chairperson for Canadian Federation of Students-Nova Scotia. “This budget condones the double-digit tuition fee increases students across the province are facing and conveys the message that education in Nova Scotia is a privilege for the wealthy rather than a right of everyone.”

 

The failure to invest in students comes on the heels of significant announcements in New Brunswick and Ontario to make post-secondary education more affordable for low-income students. Students in Nova Scotia have been calling on the government to follow suit by converting student loans to grants and reducing tuition fees.

 

Budget 2016 makes negligible investments in addressing the crisis in youth unemployment. While at the same time, data released this month shows that there were 4,000 fewer youth employed in Nova Scotia than this time last year.

 

 “As other provinces show leadership on creating more affordable models of post-secondary education, this budget puts Nova Scotia students and youth even farther behind our peers across the country,” said Sam. “Skyrocketing tuition fees, record-levels of student debt, and continued youth unemployment sets Nova Scotia up for further youth outmigration.”

 

The Canadian Federation of Students is the oldest and largest national student organization in Canada, representing over 650,000 college, undergraduate and graduate students across the country.

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For more information:

 

Michaela Sam, Chairperson, CFS-NS, (902) 999-4318

David Etherington, Organiser, CFS-NS, (902) 292-7991