Alberta’s low-income post-secondary students affected by grant cuts: NDP
Posted Aug 2, 2022 6:53 pm.
Last Updated Aug 2, 2022 6:57 pm.
The Alberta NDP is accusing the UCP government of hurting low-income post-secondary students with recent changes to grant funding.
Under the Alberta Student Grant, some full-time students would receive $250 instead of $375.
“At a time when costs are rising, this is already a concerning decision,” said David Eggen, the Alberta NDP critic for advanced education.
Last year, the NDP says students making $32,102 would receive $375 per month, while students making up to $63,615 would receive a minimum of $100 per month. However, this year, only students making $33,180 or less are eligible for $250 per month.
“If you made $20 more than $33,180, bringing your income up to $33,200 – you are completely out of luck,” Eggen said.
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Students feeling ‘worry, uncertainty, and doubt’
The NDP says students like Montana Bobinski and Madison Dabbs-Petty, Masters students at the University of Alberta, will be affected by the change.
“I’m lucky enough to have some savings, but I try my best to never touch those – they are emergency funds for a reason,” Bobinski said in the NDP’s statement.
“All I feel is worry, uncertainty, and doubt,” added Dabbs-Petty.
CityNews has reached out to Alberta’s Minister of Higher Education and got the following response:
“These changes ensure that the Alberta Student Grant is available to those that are most in need and that significant funding can be awarded to the greatest amount of students possible. The change in the monthly amount allows the grant to service more students, providing them with the support they need to attend post-secondary.
“Whereas the income eligibility has decreased because the Alberta Student Grant, which was originally for low and middle-income students, is now only available for low-income students,” said Sam Blacket, Press Secretary of the Ministre of Advanced Education.”
Canada’s inflation rate reached 8.1 per cent in June.
