Saturday April 17, 2021 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
Students attending post-secondary institutions on southern Vancouver Island have access to emergency assistance funding to help them cope with financial pressures caused by COVID-19.
“This emergency financial assistance provides an important safety net for students to ensure they have the funds to focus on continuing their education,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, in a release on April 9.
“We know that pursuing post-secondary education can be challenging and stressful at any time, and particularly during a pandemic. That’s why we are taking steps to make sure students facing unexpected circumstances can access financial help.”
Topping up what campuses already received:
Since March 2020, post-secondary institutions on southern Vancouver Island have received a combined total of $1,162,500 to assist students, including Indigenous students, who are experiencing an unexpected financial emergency that may affect their ability to complete their studies and handle expenses, especially those related to COVID-19:
- Camosun College – $397,000
- Royal Roads University – $271,000
- University of Victoria – $494,500
This funding builds on existing emergency funding that many post-secondary institutions already provide to students facing financial hardships.
Students don’t have to repay:
The non-repayable emergency assistance can be used to help with a broad range of costs, including living expenses, food, travel, portable computers and other supports for students who are returning to campuses for 2021-22.
This emergency funding is part of $9 million invested since March 2020 to help B.C. post-secondary students.
Students who attend one of B.C.’s 25 public post-secondary institutions, as well as the Native Education College and students enrolled in post-secondary programs at Indigenous institutes, may apply to access these funds by contacting their school’s financial aid office or Indigenous student service centre.
Pandemic support since last year:
Since March 2020, government has provided $9 million to assist students throughout B.C. who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic:
- $1.5 million in 2020 and $1 million in 2021 for the Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund, including $150,000 to assist post-secondary students at Indigenous institutes across B.C.
- $3.5 million in 2020 and $3 million in 2021 for the Student Emergency Assistance Fund
- Indigenous post-secondary institutes throughout B.C. have also received $150,000 to assist students facing financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- $3.6 million has been provided to the Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund since 2017 and has been accessed by more than 4,000 Indigenous students.
- Emergency funding for Indigenous students supports the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples articles 21.1 and 21.2 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action number 23.i.
- $6.5 million in extra pandemic support has been provided for the Student Emergency Assistance Fund at public post-secondary institutions. In 2020, that funding supported approximately 5,400 B.C. domestic students.
- In the years leading up to 2020-21, the annual Student Society Emergency Assistance Fund was provided $70,000, supporting 480 students each year on average across participating public post-secondary institutions.
