Fund It, Fix It: Making Post-Secondary Education Affordable for British Columbians

Each year, the Federation provides a written submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services outlining students' priorities in the government's budget consultation process. In addition Federation representatives give a verbal presentation at an in-person hearing of the Committee. These priorities are based on the campaigns and government relations plan that is adopted at the Federation's general meeting each year.

Outlining students' priorities for the government's budget makes a difference! Several of the recommendations from the Budget 2019 consultation were addressed by the government – including eliminating interest on BC student loans and funding the expansion and creation of open education resources.

In order to demonstrate how students' recommendations align with the government's priorities, it is helpful to review the government's commitment to British Columbians. In July 2017, with the release of Ministerial mandate letters, the current government made three key commitments to British Columbians to guide its vision for a better BC. Post- secondary education and training is a natural fit in a conversation about investing in the betterment of BC; it is an integral component of BC’s economic framework and amongst the most important social programs provided by the BC government. Making post-secondary education affordable and accessible to all falls directly in line with the three key commitments the current government has made to British Columbians: to make life more affordable; to deliver services that people count on; and to build a strong, sustainable, innovative economy that works for everyone.

Education is a fundamental component of achieving these three commitments. The recommendations put forward in this document describe ways in which the BC government can follow through on its three key commitments and the key priority mandated to the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training: to reduce the financial burden on students.

Read the full report here: Fund It, Fix It: Making Post-Secondary Education Affordable for British Columbians

This report was a submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the 2020 budget consultation by the BCFS.