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By rdnewsNOW staff

Post-Secondary Affordability

Alberta government aiming to enhance protections for post-secondary students

Jun 27, 2024 | 1:59 PM

The provincial government is introducing new measures to ensure post-secondary education remains accessible and affordable for Alberta students.

Officials say supporting opportunities for students and ensuring post-secondary education remains affordable is a top priority for Alberta’s government. With student aid applications opening on June 27, Alberta’s government says it is taking action to stabilize the increasing costs of student aid for Alberta students attending private career colleges, while also strengthening protections for them.

Alberta’s government says it is increasing the living allowances used to calculate eligibility for student aid funding. Officials say the standard monthly living allowance is intended to help cover costs for food, clothing, personal needs, transportation, rent/mortgage, and utility expenses. This increase is intended to bring Alberta in line with the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program.

Students attending full-time private career college programs delivered exclusively online may be eligible for federal loan and grant funding. Effective August 1, they may also be eligible for provincial funding to cover tuition and books costs only, if these costs are not already covered by federal funding.

Starting August 1, government officials say Alberta Student Aid will not provide provincial funding to students attending private career colleges outside of Alberta, with some exemptions for students in the final year of a program and private career college programs supporting sectors with high labour demand, including dental hygienist training in Ontario. Students attending those programs may still be eligible for federal student loans or grants.

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Alberta’s government says it does not have oversight over private career colleges in other jurisdictions and is not able to verify the quality of programming, address complaints or enforce any protections for Alberta students attending these colleges. The government says this measure brings Alberta in alignment with other provinces in Canada, including British Columbia and Ontario, that do not fund students attending out-of-province private career colleges.

“Alberta’s government is committed to funding post-secondary education in a responsible way that respects taxpayer dollars, provides students with the most value for their investment, and ensures we continue to produce a skilled workforce for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” says Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education. “These measures will protect students, taxpayers, and align Alberta with other Canadian provinces.”

Ongoing compliance inspections of private career colleges

Provincial officials note that private career colleges play an important role in Alberta’s adult learning system. Through their creativity and innovation, officials say they offer a diversity of learning approaches and vocational training, as well as the flexibility to respond to the needs of Alberta’s economy.

Over the past five years, the government says Alberta’s private career college market has experienced significant growth. Student complaints have also increased, say provincial officials, especially against newer private career colleges. Recent audits of some newer schools are said to have shown a lack of administrative competency in such things as record keeping and admissions testing.

In June, Alberta’s government expanded its compliance work to include onsite inspections to ensure that:

• private career colleges are aware of all requirements in order to meet their licensing obligations,
• proper administrative processes are in place,
• premises and equipment are appropriate for training,
• students are being provided accurate information about the training, and
• vocational training is delivered in a competent manner.

The government says this improved oversight will help ensure that private career colleges are delivering quality programs as promised and safeguard students from false or misleading practices.

“Columbia College is proud to support these new measures that will protect the reputation of private career colleges like ours and stabilize the cost of student aid,” says Dr. Tom Snell, President and Chairman of the Board of Director, Columbia College. “We are grateful to continue working closely with Alberta’s government in supporting opportunities for students and a stronger post-secondary education sector.”

“ActionDignity is encouraged by Alberta government’s response to concerns faced by students in some colleges,” adds Dr. Francis Boakye, Executive Director, ActionDignity. “The proposed changes will go a long way to ensuring customer protection and high-quality education for some of the most vulnerable students enrolled in private career colleges.”

Alberta government quick facts

• Budget 2024 provides more than $1.4 billion for Alberta student aid, including:
• More than $1.2 billion in student loans that will help an estimated 139,600 students;
• $113 million in scholarships and awards to approximately 57,100 students; and
• $69 million in grants to over 18,700 students.
• Total enrolment at private career colleges rose by approximately 30,000 between 2019/20 and 2022/23 (more than double).
• The number of licensed private career colleges grew from 155 in 2015/16 to 222 in 2022/23 (44 per cent increase).

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