Good afternoon. Thanks very much.
I'd like to thank the committee for inviting me here this afternoon to present on behalf of the over a half million members who comprise the Canadian Federation of Students, at over 80 student unions across the country.
My comments today will be focused on the importance of non-repayable student financial assistance, particularly as upfront assistance rather than back-end measures.
The Canadian Federation of Students supports Bill C-284 in its efforts to expand the financial assistance provided to students through Canada access grants. However, we also recognize that more efforts are necessary to ensure that all Canadians have access to high-quality post-secondary education.
Today's accessibility gap in Canada's universities and colleges is driven by the high cost of post-secondary education. The defining difference between those who have access to post-secondary education and those who are forced into low-paying, low-skilled work is financial resources.