Student Group Displeased With BC Budget

Last week’s announced provincial budget does nothing to help students in British Columbia, according to the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia.

The group is disappointed that funding for post-secondary education in British Columbia “will stagnate in 2011.”

“In a time of high unemployment, one of the most important investments a government can make is in higher education and training,” said Nimmi Takkar, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia.

“Slowly starving post-secondary institutions and drowning students in debt will hamper the province’s economic strength and productivity.”

The CFS-BC is also upset that BC’s student financial assistance budget has shrunk by nearly 20% since 2009.

“British Columbians are overwhelmingly opposed to short-changing our universities and colleges and plunging BC’s students further into debt,” said Takkar.

“Students are looking for the leadership candidates to come out with a strong vision for an affordable post-secondary education system. Students and their families can’t afford the status quo.”

The CFS-BC wants the province to follow Newfoundland’s lead and do away with the interest on student loans. They are quick to point out that BC’s average student debt ($27,000) is the highest in Canada outside the Maritimes, while the province has the highest student loan interest rate in Canada.