CASA began advocating for interest relief and debt repayment assistance in 1999. Finally in 2008, the federal government introduced the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), a program to help recent graduates better manage their student loan payments. The RAP has proven to be both successful and cost-effective, with student default rates hitting record lows since its implementation.

From 2009 to 2014, the RAP provided a total of $598 million in financial assistance to those struggling to repay their student loans. This program assisted 233,684 former students in 2013-2014 alone. With the help of the RAP, former students considered higher risk for defaulting and bankruptcy are given the resources to avoid this outcome while continuing to contribute to Canada’s economy in a meaningful way.