Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today on behalf of Canada's 96 universities about the implementation of budget 2019.
Our president, Paul Davidson, last appeared before this committee in September to talk about our pre-budget submission. He spoke about how, in a world of disruption and constant change, our most valuable resource is our people, and equipping them with the skills and talents they need to make Canada a prosperous country is one of our most important priorities.
Canadian universities are very pleased with the set of measures contained in Budget 2019 to prepare Canadians for the jobs of the future, as well as the recognition of the central role universities play in training Canadians and stimulating the economy.
Canadian universities will continue to benefit from previous investments in research and learning infrastructure, as well as from measures to support collaboration between universities and business so as to stimulate innovation and economic growth. These measures also support science and university research.
In this context, the emphasis placed in this year's budget on skills and talent will help Canadians to remain productive and adapt to our era, which is marked by profound technological, economic and social changes.
Budget 2019's investments look to leverage the strengths of all players, including post-secondary institutions, governments, business and civil society to ensure that all Canadians get the skills and experiences they need to start their careers, to advance them and to transform them at any point.
Universities Canada started more than a year ago to push for all students, every student, independent of area of study to have access to a work-integrated learning experience during their post-secondary education experience. This ask was endorsed by the business and higher education round table as well as multiple stakeholders. We were very pleased to see budget 2019 commit to 84,000 new work-integrated learning placements and to pick up that call for those placements to be accessible for all students across areas of studies with a particular emphasis on making sure access is there for people from diverse backgrounds. Work-integrated learning is essential to make sure that not only students have those work connections but the skills they will need to seek employment post-graduation.
We were also pleased to see the new Canada training benefit, which will allow Canadians to plan for the training they will need as their careers progress.
We also saw the investments made in the international education strategy, which are critically important. Canada receives international students from a wide variety of countries, and those students contribute no less than $20 billion to Canada's economy.
In addition to that, there were investments in an outbound student mobility pilot program. In an age of globalization, the value of international study and work opportunities cannot be understated, particularly for students from under-represented groups. Students who have studied abroad learn more. They are more resilient in a global economy and have the skills and connections that employers are looking for.
Let me give you one example. Recently, Power Corporation of Canada gave $1.5 million to the University of Ottawa to fund co-op and research opportunities abroad. That's just one example.
Budget 2019 also responded to the fundamental science review's call for better support for the next generation of researchers and innovators by creating additional scholarships for master's and doctoral students through the Canada graduate scholarships program. In a knowledge-based economy that is facing digital disruption and strong international competition, increasing the number of highly skilled, talented Canadians will be key to Canada's economic success.
We were also pleased to see the supports for indigenous learners, including funding for the post-secondary student support program.
We welcome the funding to expand post-secondary options in the Arctic and in northern Canada.
Finally, changes to student financial aid, including extension of the interest-free grace period, lower interest rates for the Canada student loans program and improved supports for students with disabilities, were also measures that were well received by our sector. A tool box of measures that supports student access, particularly targeted at those most in need, is helpful in ensuring an accessible, affordable system of higher education that meets the demands of an increasingly complex economic environment.
In conclusion, budget 2019 provides meaningful measures to support universities, businesses and governments to collaborate concretely to prepare Canadians for success in changing times. It will expand collective efforts, such as those by Ontario Tech, Trent University, the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and Durham College, to retrain and upskill workers displaced by the GM plant closure.
Universities Canada looks forward to the implementation of budget 2019, and continuing to work with the federal government and all of our partners to prepare Canadians and Canada for the future.
Thank you very much.
I look forward to your questions.