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FACTSCANADIAN CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES - SEPTEMBER 11, 2012 The Cost of Learning – How does Manitoba Rank? n the report titled Eduflation and the High with the lowest fees. The newly elected Cost of Learning, CCPA researchers David PQ government has pledged to reverse IMacdonald and Erika Shaker developed the decision to increase fees however a a Cost of Learning Index to examine the timeline has not been confirmed. affordability of higher education across ’s policy of low tuition has . They do this by examining trends ensured that families living at the poverty and comparing provincial priorities to show line were better able to pursue university how economic and education finance policies than low-income families in other interact, making university more or less provinces. But by 2009–10, Newfoundland affordable across Canada. and Labrador had taken over the position Their scan of provincial government as the most affordable province for low- policies shows that most provincial income families pursuing university. governments have chosen to respond to affordability concerns by providing ‘after the Newfoundland and Labrador fact’ assistance through debt relief schemes,

loan forgiveness, tax credits, or zero interest. Throughout the 1990s, Newfoundland there is an alternative. However, while these interventions provide and Labrador’s tuition fees were at some relief to students, many continue to approximately the Canadian average. In struggle to pay upfront costs. 1999–2000 the province implemented a freeze and over the next three years Some provinces have addressed affordability rolled fees back to 1996–97 levels where concerns through tuition freezes and they were frozen. As a result of this CCPA-MB rollbacks, making the cost of education policy move, coupled with solid income 309-323 Portage Ave. more affordable. A summary of where the growth, the cost of learning plummeted. Winnipeg, MB provinces sit is outlined in the full report. Newfoundland and Labrador now replaces R3B 2C1 The following provides a few highlights with Quebec as the province where university a focus on the state in Manitoba. education is the most affordable. By phone 2015–16, it will be twice as affordable for Quebec median-income families to go to university (204) 927-3200 email In spite of some modest increases over in Newfoundland as it was compared to [email protected] the past two decades, Quebec’s university the average Canadian cost in 1990. website tuition fees have been consistently the lowest For families with two children living in Canada, even when other compulsory on the poverty line, Newfoundland and www.policyalternatives.ca/ manitoba fees are included. Before the recent election, Labrador had the second lowest rank on blog the provincial Liberal government passed the Cost of Learning Index in 1990–91. legislation to increase tuition fees by 82% Newfoundland and Labrador moved to www.policyfix.ca over the next seven years. If implemented, the middle of the pack in 1999–2000 as a twitter it would end Quebec’s reign as the province result of a tuition freeze and subsequent @ccpamb rollbacks, coupled with income growth. If But the story in Manitoba is not all current trends continue, it is expected to good news. Manitoba recently enacted become even more affordable — even as the Bill 2 – the ‘Protecting Affordability for Cost of Learning for families at the poverty ‘University Students Act’. The Canadian line in most other provinces is projected to Federation of Students has expressed rise. concern with the Bill. While the Bill has been presented as legislation that will The Manitoba Story protect the affordability of university by tying tuition increases to the cost of Although Manitoba’s tuition and living, there is concern that universities compulsory fees from 1990 to 2000 were will use other means to raise revenues at about the national average, in the early on the backs of students. For example, 2000s the province froze tuition fees, then Bill 2 allows universities to use ancillary implemented a 5% rollback and resumed the fees to fund core teaching and research freeze at the third lowest levels in Canada activities. Another concern about Bill 2 is after Quebec and Newfoundland. the exclusion of , international and Manitoba’s Cost of Learning for median- professional program students, leaving income families rose to a high point in only 47 percent of students protected. 1999–2000, at which point tuition fees The Canadian Federation of Students has were rolled back. Subsequently, the Cost of proposed several recommendations to Learning declined more or less consistently strengthen Bill 2 to ensure post secondary

continued... in the province. This improvement had education remains affordable for all at least as much to do with the economy students. than a commitment to lower fees—median incomes increased at a rate greater than And then there’s that of tuition fees, which were rising by 2% annually. By 2001–02, Manitoba’s Ontario’s fees have consistently been Cost of Learning was slightly better than among the highest in the country. The the national average, and by 2003–04 it response has focused on tuition rebates for had become the third most affordable qualifying students, leaving Ontario as the province in which to pursue university. best example of why affordability needs to If current income growth trends in the be tackled through reduced up-front costs province are maintained at 3% annually, by in addition to after the fact relief. The Cost 2015–16 Manitoba will be second only to of Learning Index shows that compared Newfoundland and Labrador on the Cost of to other provinces the rebate has had Learning Index if increases in Quebec come minimal effect, particularly for low income into effect. families, because tuition fees are so high to begin with. CCPA-MB For low-income families, the Cost of Learning in Manitoba increased from 1990 309-323 Portage Ave. to its highest point in 1999–2000. From that Which way forward? Winnipeg, MB point on, with rollbacks and subsequent Education is regularly hailed as the R3B 2C1 freezes, levels remain more or less answer to a multitude of social and consistent, with the province currently the economic concerns. It would seem logical phone third most affordable place for low-income that the best way to ensure Canadians have (204) 927-3200 families to pursue university after Quebec the education they need to fully participate email and Newfoundland and Labrador. As tuition in society is to ensure that the cost of [email protected] fee increases in Manitoba match the cost of learning is accessible and affordable for all. living, by 2015–16 it will become the second website Shauna MacKinnon is the director of most affordable province for low-income www.policyalternatives.ca/ CCPA Manitoba. The full report by Erika manitoba families as Quebec’s Cost of Learning Shaker and David Macdonald is available continues to rise. blog at www.policyalternatives.ca. www.policyfix.ca Fast Facts are produced and distributed free via email. They can be reproduced as an OpEd or opinion piece twitter without obtaining further permission, provided they are not edited, and full credit is given to both the author @ccpamb and the source, CCPA-MB. Please contact CCPA-MB today to begin your free subscription.