Government continues to invest in public post-secondary education

The Minister of Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education, Sandra C. Kelly, has announced measures for continued support of post-secondary education in the province.

Government is continuing with its commitment to Memorial University�s Opportunity Fund in this year�s budget. In 1995, government agreed to match private sector contributions up to $25 million. At the end of 1999, private sector commitments had increased to $29 million, which government agreed to match on a schedule of payments. This Budget provides $3 million to the Memorial University Opportunity Fund, bringing government�s total contribution to date to $24.3 million.

Government will also continue to invest significantly in programs and infrastructure at Memorial University of Newfoundland, with $2 million in capital funding. In addition, $131 million will be placed into Memorial�s operating grant for the 2002-2003 fiscal year an increase of some $13 million over the budget allocation announced in 2001-2002.

"I am pleased that government was able to assign priority to the revenue needs of our university, a key partner in our efforts to create a province where university education and research are of the highest quality," said Minister Kelly. "The province is working to support post-secondary education to the full extent of our ability to do so."

The tuition freeze initiated at the College of the North Atlantic in 2001-2002 will continue through the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

Again this year, $500,000 has been allocated to Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic to lever additional support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The CFI is an independent corporation established by the federal government in 1997 to promote innovation in research infrastructure at Canadian universities and colleges and to increase their capability to carry out world-class research and development in areas of science, engineering and the environment.

"This support underscores government�s continued commitment to investing in our public post-secondary system and helping to create new opportunities for the people of our province," said Minister Kelly.

As part of the continued commitment, the government will also extend, for another five years, its agreement with the other Atlantic Provinces to support and maintain the Atlantic Veterinary College. This new agreement will help ensure that students from Newfoundland and Labrador will continue to have access to high quality education in the field of veterinary medicine right here in the Atlantic region.

Media contact: Janice Lockyer, Communications, (709) 729-6573.

2002 03 21                              3:30 p.m.