The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations is a national voice for Canadian post-secondary students composed of student associations representing undergraduate, graduate, college, and polytechnic students. CASA works to provide students with a post- secondary system that is accessible, affordable, innovative, and of the highest quality. The COVID-19 pandemic poses significant challenges to Canada as an entire country and it’s students are being uniquely impacted by it as well. Across Canada students are worried about their education, finances, and employment prospects.
CASA has worked to identify areas where students need further support to assist them through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada’s students need support from the federal government during this time. To address the concerns outlined, CASA recommends the federal government do the following:
- Recommendation #1: CASA recommends that the federal government immediately establish a Canadian Emergency Response Benefit stream for students and new graduates. This stream of the CERB should apply to any student enrolled in a publicly funded post-secondary institution in the 2019- 2020 academic year.
- Recommendation #2: CASA recommends that the federal government increase the Canada Student Grant for low- and middle-income students by 40%, from $3,000 to $4,200 per academic year.
- Recommendation #3: CASA recommends that the federal government waive the requirement for the fixed student contribution for any student applying for financial assistance for the 2020-2021 academic year.
- Recommendation #4: CASA recommends that the federal government permit international students to travel to Canada for postsecondary education by allowing anyone with a valid study permit to cross the border for enrolment in classes for September 2020.
- Recommendation #5: CASA recommends that the research period and deadlines for student research funding issued by Canada’s Granting Agencies be extended, at minimum, to the equivalent time of the federal government’s call for social distancing.
