The 2008 Manitoba Budget Address

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Education

Manitoba’s economic strategy begins with a comprehensive education and skills development plan. Post-secondary education equips our young people to seize the opportunities our growing economy offers.

Our strategy to ensure post-secondary education will meet the demands of the future rests on three pillars: affordability, accessibility, and excellence.

Mr. Speaker, Manitoba is the most affordable place to get an education in Canada. Since 1999, our government has kept education affordable:

• reducing tuition fees 10% and holding them at that level while providing offsetting funding increases to post-secondary institutions;
  
  
• increasing student assistance by $166 million since 1999, including reinstating the Manitoba bursaries which were cut in 1993; and
  
  
• introducing tax credits to help offset tuition costs for graduates.

These education policies are delivering results:

• enrolments are up by one-third since 1999;
  
  
• student debt is down by 26% ; and
  
  
• Manitoba now has the lowest student debt levels outside Quebec.

We have a detailed plan to maintain affordability in the coming years.

Prior to 1999, tuition fees rose more than 150% in 10 years. The potential exists for this to happen again. Increases as high as 80% within three years have been seen in other jurisdictions where tuition freezes have been eliminated.

Mr. Speaker, our government will not let that happen. Today’s budget extends the 10% tuition reduction for one more year and provides offsetting funding increases to the universities and colleges. Beginning September 2009, there will be a gradual increase in tuition fees back to the 1999 level.

Starting next year, we will also begin to raise student financial assistance by $8 million over the coming years to ensure that post-secondary education remains affordable. Programs specifically aimed at improving affordability for rural and northern students will be included.

Today’s budget further improves affordability by reducing the interest charged on student loans by 1%.

To encourage graduates to put down roots and start their careers here in Manitoba, we now offer the most attractive tax environment for new graduates in all of Canada. The new Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate returns 60% of eligible tuition fees up to a maximum of $25,000. A typical Arts student graduating in 2007 could claim a tax rebate of more than $7,000 over the next six years.

The second pillar of our strategy is about improving accessibility to increase the number of students who are able to successfully pursue post-secondary education. Budget 2008 promotes accessibility by:

• adding $1 million to improve high school graduation rates and support students in transitioning to post-secondary education; and
  
  
• providing additional resources to enhance accessibility and completion of post-secondary education for under-represented groups.

We have also increased the number and value of our Training for Tomorrow Educational Awards for women studying in the areas of math, science or technology at approved educational institutions.

The third pillar is investing in excellence. For education, the 1990s were a decade of neglect. Mr. Speaker, we are making this the decade of action.

Just two years ago we committed to the largest ever increase in post-secondary funding with a three-year $60 million commitment.

Mr. Speaker, today’s budget surpasses that commitment. We are maintaining our commitment to increase operating funding by 5%, and we are adding another $8.4 million on top of that. That gives the colleges and universities as much new money as they would have gained from a 6% increase in tuition fees.

With today’s announcement, the total three-year increase comes to more than $79 million. Since 1999, we have increased operating funding to colleges and universities by 65%, compared to just 14% in the previous decade.

Manitoba has supported post-secondary education capital projects totalling more than $400 million since 1999, and Budget 2008 commits more than $100 million over the next two years for new and planned capital projects. Our investments have supported projects like:

• the Richardson College of the Environment at the University of Winnipeg;
  
  
• the relocation of Assiniboine Community College;
  
  
• the Brandon University Health Studies Building; and
  
  
• the new Engineering Building at the University of Manitoba.

Since 1999 the Province has provided the University of Manitoba with $250 million in capital grants and loan authority to support construction and renovation. This support, combined with the U of M’s own successful fundraising efforts, leveraged substantial private sector contributions for the renewal of the university’s infrastructure. This year we are pleased to begin supporting the University’s Project Domino, a $100 million multiyear project which will see the construction of a new student residence and the renewal of several other buildings on campus.

Quality education from childhood onward provides the foundation for later success. Our government has met or exceeded our commitment to fund public schools at the rate of economic growth every year since we took office. Since 1999, we have provided a total of $238 million in new operating funding to public schools. This year’s increase of $53.5 million is the largest single-year increase in more than 25 years and provides increased support for all school divisions.

Our government has a specific plan to reduce the burden of education taxes on property while increasing our share of funding for public education. We are moving toward funding 80% of the total cost of public education. Since 1999, we have eliminated the residential Education Support Levy completely, cut farmland school taxes, and more than doubled the Education Property Tax Credit.

Manitoba’s Aboriginal population is of great importance to our economic future, and education is critical for Aboriginal economic success. Investments in Aboriginal education and training are delivering positive results: university and college enrolments are up and apprenticeship registrations have more than tripled since 1999.

But there is much more to be done. Many First Nations schools do not offer a full high school program. Program opportunities and per student investment are less than what is available in other Manitoba communities.

We are encouraged by recent discussions with the federal government to address the gap in education investments and programming. As a province we are committed to working with every First Nations community and the federal government to build quality programs from early years through to high school graduation.

Provincial education officials are already working with several First Nations communities and educators on strategies to make on-reserve education more effective and relevant, including:

• encouragement and incentives for more Aboriginal people to become teachers;
  
  
• professional development programs available to teachers on reserve; and
  
  
• curriculum development to incorporate Aboriginal culture and languages.

Funding for schools this year includes an additional $500,000 to support continued improvement to Aboriginal academic achievement through initiatives such as student mentorship and training, as well as elders in schools programs.

Manitoba introduced a four-year Bachelor of Aboriginal Midwifery program at the University College of the North. This program will increase the availability of midwives in Aboriginal communities, ensuring culturally and medically appropriate care for mothers and their newborns in their home communities.

Mr. Speaker, today’s budget follows through on our commitment to support Aboriginal students entering the medical profession, beginning with a new program that will provide bursaries of $7,000 annually to Aboriginal medical students.

Mr. Speaker, Budget 2008 also continues to move forward with an additional investment for Red River College to create a new Interlake campus for Peguis and Fisher River.