FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, August 14, 2014 – The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) continues to be concerned with effects the cost of a post-secondary education (PSE) is having on students. According to a recent survey on the state of PSE families, conducted by Abacus Data, at least seven in ten families cited the cost of an education as a major source in delaying their children’s financial independence.
“The financial reality is extremely troubling”, said Travis Gordon, Board Chair for CASA. “We know that students who face financial barriers, due to the cost of an education, lag behind their peers in terms of wealth accumulation and establishing themselves after graduation”. With this reality, CASA has provided several recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee of Finance pre-budget consultations.
• CASA recommends increasing the value of Canada Student Grants by 9.4% to account for inflation since the program was created and to tie the program to CPI.
• CASA recommends an increase in the amount of available student financial assistance in order to meet the rising costs associated with pursuing a post-secondary education.
• CASA recommends that the Canada Student Loans Program be amended by eliminating the income limit that a student can earn while studying.
“With the cost of education in this country continually rising, the federal government must make the necessary investments that allows students to access the greater amounts of financial aid and not be punished for working while studying” notes Gordon. Further information can be found in CASA’s backgrounder and pre-budget submission.
— 30 —
About CASA
Established in 1995, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit national student organization composed of 22 student associations representing 280,000 post-secondary students from coast to coast. CASA advocates for a Canadian post-secondary education system that is accessible, affordable, innovative and of the highest quality.
FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Matthew Rios, Government Relations and Communication Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Office: 613-236-3457 ext. 221