Monday, March 7, 2011 

VANCOUVER—Students are very encouraged by BCNDP leadership candidate Adrian Dix's pledge to establish a BC student grants program. With a proposed $100-million budget, it would be the largest student grants program in BC's history.

“Students are in need of this program now more than ever,” said Nimmi Takkar, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia. “Student debt is at an all time high and this program would be a bold step in the right direction for students, their families, and the BC economy.”

The average student debt in BC for a four year program is $27,000. Some of this debt can be attributed to the fact that only 12% of BC’s student aid is non-repayable. This puts BC 66% below the national average of non-repayable student financial assistance.

“At a time when three out of four new jobs will require some post-secondary education, we know access to post-secondary will play a key role in growing our economy. Students are calling on all candidates to take action to make affordable education a leadership issue,” said Takkar.

The Federation’s Education Shouldn’t be a Debt Sentence campaign calls on the provincial government to increase core funding, to reduce tuition fees, to establish a needs-based grants program, and to eliminate interest rates on student loans.

The Canadian Federation of Students is composed of 150,000 students in British Columbia from 17 university and college students' unions. Post-secondary students in Canada have been represented by the Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organisations since 1927.

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011 

VICTORIA, Today's budget shows that post-secondary education funding in British Columbia will stagnate in 2011 and no relief is forthcoming for students and their families from increasing tuition fees. The budget also shows that BC's student financial assistance budget has shrunk by nearly 20% since 2009. 

"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." 

In a poll commissioned in 2010 by the Canadian Association of University Teachers and the Canadian Federation of Students, 85% of British Columbians expressed support for reducing tuition fees. "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." 

At $27,000, average student debt in the province is highest in Canada outside the Maritimes. Students in BC pay the highest interest rate on student loans in Canada. The CFS-BC is calling on the Government of British Columbia to follow Newfoundland's lead and eliminate the interest charged on student loans.

The Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia is BC's provincial student organisation, representing 150,000 university and college students in the province. The CFS-BC represents members of 17 university and college students' unions throughout BC. 

VICTORIA—Over 3,000 college and university students from across BC sent Valentine’s Day cards to Minister Chong today, asking her to be a committed partner to ensure an affordable and high quality education system.

“Students and their families are looking for a little love in this budget,” said Nimmi Takkar, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia. “With average student debt in BC at an estimated $27,000, students are looking to the government for a vision to ease the financial strain of post-secondary education.”

BC ranks dead-last among the provinces in grant and other student aid disbursements, and the interest charged on BC student loans is the highest in the country. “With a new Premier to be elected soon, students are eager for good news," said Takkar.

This campaign effort is a part of the ongoing Education Shouldn’t be a Debt Sentence campaign that calls on the government to increase core funding, to reduce tuition fees, to establish a needs-based grants program, and to eliminate interest rates on student loans.

The Canadian Federation of Students is composed of 150,000 students in British Columbia from 17 university and college students' unions. Post-secondary students in Canada have been represented by the Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organisations since 1927.

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VANCOUVER—The Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia supports the Student Day of Action to “reduce fees and drop debt” being held today in Nova Scotia.

“We applaud the efforts of students in Nova Scotia to increase the pressure on Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter to keep the promises he made when he was in opposition,” said Nimmi Takkar, Canadian Federation of Students-BC Chairperson. “Students in the Maritimes have the highest debt in Canada, and they deserve a tuition fee reduction.”

Dexter was elected in 2009 after years in opposition slamming the Progressive Conservative government for increasing tuition fees. Shortly after taking office, Dexter hired a former bank vice-president to report on the state of universities in Nova Scotia and make recommendations. Dexter’s government announced Tuesday that it would follow the report’s recommendation to increase tuition fees.

Students and their families are calling on Dexter to reject the report’s recommendations and rallies are being held across the province to call for an immediate reduction in tuition fees.

More information can be found at www.cfs-ns.ca.

The Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia is BC’s provincial student organization, representing 150,000 university and college students at all levels of post-secondary education in BC. It is non-partisan and affiliated with Canada’s largest national student organization, the Canadian Federation of Students.

Thursday, September 16, 2010 

VANCOUVER—There is no sign of tuition fee relief for cash-strapped BC families as average fees reach $4,800 at BC universities, according to a new study released today by Statistics Canada. For the ninth consecutive year tuition fees in British Columbia will increase.

“Education in BC is a debt sentence for tens of thousands of families,” said Nimmi Takkar, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia. “This study confirms what we all know: tuition fees have never been higher. It’s not coincidence that student debt in BC is also at record levels.”

Average student debt in British Columbia is estimated to be $27,000. With compound interest over a ten-year repayment period, that figure balloons to $34,365.

The Globe and Mail reported earlier this week that Canada’s household debt to net worth is the highest on record, as new graduates struggle with unprecedented levels of credit card debt and student debt.

A study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released earlier this year showed that Canada’s tuition fees are among the highest in the world as a share of the national economy.

Tuition fees are the single largest expense for most university and college students, and are increasing more than any other cost faced by students and faster than inflation. Record high tuition fees are an example of the shift in what average families pay out-of-pocket for public services.

“In 2009 the StudentAid BC budget was cut by 28%. In 2010 total tuition fees in BC will surpass what is collected in corporate income tax. Add the HST to the picture and average families are paying more and getting less,” said Takkar.

The Canadian Federation of Students is composed of 150,000 students in British Columbia from 17 university and college students' unions. Post-secondary students in Canada have been represented by the Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organisations since 1927.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 

NEW WESTMINSTER—Hundreds more British Columbians signed the petition to reduce student debt this week as the Education Shouldn’t be a Debt Sentence tour reached Douglas College in Coquitlam and New Westminster. The tour is organized by the Canadian Federation of Students-BC, and has stopped at campuses across the province in February and March.

“Record high tuition fees have led to record high student debt,” said CFS-BC National Executive Representative Michael Olson. “BC families deserve a commitment from the government to make post-secondary education and training more affordable.”

Playing host to the tour, the Douglas Students’ Union gathered signatures on the petition and gave out much-needed free coffee to students as they studied for exams.

“For far too many Douglas College students, education is a debt sentence,” said DSU External Relations Coordinator Priscilla Bartleman. “Particularly in the wake of a budget that sees more student financial aid cuts and funding cuts, we need our MLAs to stand up for their constituents and make reducing student debt a priority.”

Tuition fees have more than doubled in BC since 2001. The elimination of the provincial grants program in 2004 accelerated BC families' student debt accumulation to the point where average debt upon the graduation of a four-year program exceeds $27,000. Meanwhile, BC student loans have the highest interest rates in the country. The CFS-BC’s campaign calls for the BC government to:

• reduce tuition fees;
• establish a grants program;
• eliminate interest on student loans; and
• restore funding to universities and colleges.

The Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia is BC’s provincial student organization, representing 150,000 university and college students at all levels of post-secondary education in BC. It is non-partisan and affiliated with Canada’s largest national student organization, the Canadian Federation of Students.

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