Backgrounder - Budget 2013 Investments in Post-Secondary Education

The Provincial Government is once again leading the way in the country to make post-secondary education more affordable and accessible. Budget 2013 provides $25.8 million to reduce student debt through:

• An additional investment of $3.8 million to Memorial University to continue the freeze on tuition for the 2013-14 academic year. The tuition freeze also remains in effect for College of the North Atlantic;
• $19 million for the continuation of up-front needs-based grants and interest-free student loans; and,
• $3 million for continued debt-reduction grants.

Memorial University undergraduate tuition fees are approximately 53 per cent lower than the national average, while College of the North Atlantic tuition fees are approximately 49 per cent lower than the national average.

With a total investment of $88.3 million, 2013-14 will see the completion and opening of new residences at Memorial’s St. John’s and Grenfell campuses. In continuing support of post-secondary infrastructure, Budget 2013 will see the following investments:

• $4.9 million for the continuation of science laboratory upgrades at Memorial; and,
• $3.4 million for continued renovations to existing student residences at Memorial’s St. John’s campus.

To further support the delivery of quality post-secondary education, Budget 2013 includes the following investments:

• $2 million to increase base funding at the Fisheries and Marine Institute to continue the expansion of educational programming, research and student services for continued growth in the ocean sector; and,
• $1.1 million for expansion of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial in the priority areas of ocean, Arctic and offshore energy, to support major project development and facilitate private-sector industry partnerships. This investment will also support increased enrollment of undergraduate and graduate students at the faculty.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will continue planning with Memorial University for the development of a new science facility at Memorial’s St. John’s campus. This ongoing work was further secured by the allocation of a portion of the $150 million the province was awarded concerning fabrication of a third module for
the Hebron Project.

Since 2004, the Provincial Government has invested more than $604 million to make affordable, accessible post-secondary education a model for the rest of Canada. This includes over $248 million for vital post-secondary infrastructure, over $186 million to freeze tuition levels at both Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic, and over $170 million to enhance student aid programming. In addition, the Research & Development Corporation has awarded more than $57 million to researchers at Memorial University to support over 250 research and development projects in areas ranging from ocean technology and energy, to health and life sciences, and marine science.

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Media contact:
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Advanced Education and Skills
709-729-0753, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca

2013 03 26             3:10 p.m.