FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, January 9, 2015 – The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) supports the federal government’s decision to expand student aid to apprentices through the Canada Apprentice Loan. CASA believes the creation of a $4,000 loan per training period will increase access to the skilled trades.
“CASA is supportive of any new money that is directed towards supporting students”, said Travis Gordon, Board Chair of CASA. “The Canada Apprentice Loan will enable many students, especially mature learners, access to financial aid that they may not have had access to previously.”
It is expected that the program will be accessed by at least 26,000 students per year putting over $100 million dollars into the hands of new apprentices. This is the first non-means tested federal program in Canada Student Loans, therefore no student will be denied access to these funds based on income or assets.
“We congratulate the government for implementing this innovative program and are interested to see how it is utilized”, said Gordon. “We are hopeful that government will look at removing means testing in other areas of the Canada Student Loans Program”.
In its recent pre budget submission CASA called on government to remove means testing in the Canada Student Loans Program by removing both the in-study income assessment and parental contribution assessment.
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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 Communications Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Office: 613-236-3457 ext. 221
Mobile: 902-300-2102