Provincial Budget Press Release

Press Release: Brock Students welcome investments, yet critical unanswered questions remain

Today, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced the provincial budget,
including the significant investment of 20,000 new spaces in Ontario’s universities and colleges, at a cost of $310 million. Facing record deficits, this strategic investment in Ontario’s future is the right choice for provincial government. As 70% of all new jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, this is a step in the right direction.

“The government has demonstrated once again that it values the contributions of higher education towards Ontario’s social and economic future,” said Lianne Bradley, President of the Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU). “While students appreciate this investment, a number of critical questions have been left unanswered.”

The 2010 Budget contains no information on the issues of tuition fees, financial aid, or the fate of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. Ontario’s tuition fees are currently the highest in Canada, and are rising at 5% per year, more than double the rate of inflation. The recession has driven youth unemployment to record levels, and students with the greatest need have been the hardest hit.
“Nearly a third of students receiving assistance from the government are receiving the maximum loan amount,” stated Rob Lanteigne, BUSU Vice President University Affairs. “This indicates a high demand, and significant need for many students which goes beyond what the provincial government currently offers. We are hopeful that the government will respond to our calls to improve the Ontario Student Assistance Program, and to cap tuition increases at no greater than the rate of inflation.”

A gaping omission in the budget for Brock students is the vague wording surrounding infrastructure funding. Brock University and BUSU have been pushing for a $26 million contribution for the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines, in partnership with the Niagara Centre for the Arts. Funding for this project has not yet been announced, yet the budget simply references ongoing infrastructure for universities without specifying new money. The time deadlines surrounding the joint build are fast approaching, and we still have no indication if additional money will be flowing to Brock for this purpose.

The government has also announced plans to increase international student enrollment by 50 per cent over five years. These students add greatly to the learning environment, providing an increased diversity of ideas, experiences and opinions. However, international students at the undergraduate level continue to pay exorbitant and unregulated tuition fees that far outstrip the actual cost of their education.

“Students support further internationalization but are concerned that many barriers to access are not being addressed,” said Lanteigne. “Ontario should be attracting the best minds, not just the richest.”

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BUSU is a not-for-profit organization representing and working to improve the post-secondary education experience of students at Brock University.

For more information, please contact BUSU Vice President University Affairs, Rob Lanteigne, at 905 688-5550 x.4198, or by e-mail at vpua@busu.net


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