Right now under the CMSF, about 140,000 people a year get support through the current study grants and access grants, these kinds of things. Under the new program, 245,000 people will benefit. They will know ahead of time whether or not they'll receive it. In other words, if you're a low- or middle-income student and you apply to go to school and are accepted, and you meet the income criterion, you will get that funding and you will know that ahead of time. So this will help improve access, which I think has to be the goal. Not only that, you'll get it for every year you're in school. So if you're going to college for a couple of years, you'll get it both years. If you're going to university for four years, you'll get it for all four years. If you're a low-income student, four years of funding at $250 a month while you're in school, that's $8,000 you know you're going to get, and that's a big bite out of any student loans you might have had to take out otherwise.
I think it's terrific. We've had great support from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and other student organizations that have really lauded this approach and believe this is an important step forward. I hope my colleagues in the official opposition will see the wisdom of this and will support it when it comes to a vote in the House of Commons.