Evidence of meeting #10 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was universities.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Meri Kim Oliver  Vice-President, Student Affairs, Durham College
Paul Davidson  President and Chief Executive Officer, Universities Canada
Megan Town  Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association
Matthew Gerrits  Outgoing Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association
Wendy Therrien  Director, External Relations and Research, Universities Canada
Jodi Hall  Chair, Canadian Association for Long Term Care
Marissa Lennox  Chief Policy Officer, Canadian Association of Retired Persons

5 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

I call the meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 10 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Pursuant to the orders of reference of March 24, April 11, and April 20, 2020, the committee is meeting for the purpose of receiving evidence concerning matters related to the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today's meeting is taking place by video conference, and the proceedings will be made available via the House of Commons website. The webcast will always show the person speaking, rather than the entirety of the committee.

In order to facilitate the work of our interpreters and ensure an orderly meeting, I would like to outline a few rules to follow.

First, and this is especially important for the witnesses—I think most of the MPs have the hang of it now—interpretation in the video conference will work much like a regular committee meeting. You have the choice at the bottom of your screen of either floor, English or French. In order to resolve sound issues, please ensure that you are on the English channel when speaking English, and on the French channel when speaking French. If you plan to alternate from one language to the other, please also switch the interpretation channel so it aligns with the language that you're speaking.

Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. When you're ready to speak, please click on the microphone to activate it.

As a reminder, all comments by members and witnesses should be addressed through the chair.

This is for members, and by now you would all be aware of it. If you need to request the floor outside of your designated time, for example to raise a point of order, you should simply activate your mike and indicate that you have a point of order. If anyone wishes to speak to a point of order that's been raised by another member, they should use the “raise hand” function.

When speaking, please speak slowly and clearly. When not speaking, your mike should be on mute. The use of headsets is strongly encouraged, and our level of compliance is getting much better, which is also encouraging. If you have a microphone on your headset that hangs down, make sure it's not rubbing on your shirt during your questioning time.

Should any technical challenges arise, for example in relation to interpretation or if you're accidentally disconnected, please advise the chair or the clerk immediately, and the technical team will work to resolve them. Please note that we may need to suspend during these times as we need to ensure all members are able to participate fully.

Before we get started, please click on the top right-hand corner of the screen to make sure you're in gallery view. With that view, you'll be able to see all of the participants in the grid, and all video participants will be able to see one another.

With that, I would now like to thank the witnesses for joining us here today.

With us we have, from Durham College, Meri Kim Oliver, vice-president of student affairs. From Universities Canada, we have Paul Davidson, president and CEO; and Wendy Therrien, director, external relations and research. From the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, we have Megan Town, vice-president of education; and Matthew Gerrits, outgoing vice-president, education.

As a reminder for members, today's witnesses were asked to keep their opening remarks to a maximum of five minutes because I know that our members are a very curious lot and they have lots of questions.

Ms. Oliver, please proceed with your opening remarks. You have five minutes.

5 p.m.

Meri Kim Oliver Vice-President, Student Affairs, Durham College

Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to join you.

I'm here representing our president, Don Lovisa, today, who's unfortunately on another call like this.

I will try to give you an overview of our current circumstance and profile.

Durham College currently enrolls over 13,000 post-secondary and apprenticeship students in programs at our Oshawa and Whitby campuses. This includes over 1,500 international students. The college also operates employment services sites at four locations throughout the region.

Colleges in Ontario have over 50 years of experience delivering post-secondary education within the local communities and providing accessible education to a wide range of students. Hands-on learning and skills development are embedded in programs to ensure that graduates are well prepared to enter the workforce with relevant and up-to-date skills. A focus on accessible education means that the student population is a diverse microcosm of the local and global communities that colleges serve.

At Durham College the student population includes students who are Crown wards. Students with disabilities make up approximately 15% of our total student population, including students with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health issues. We have second-career students who are retraining after job loss or injury. We have students who are dependent on financial aid, academic upgrading students who are completing secondary school programs and college credits simultaneously, single parents, an indigenous student population and international students, who comprise approximately 17% of our students.

The move to online platforms for delivery of the final weeks of the winter semester was accomplished in record time and with great success. Students, faculty and staff were creative, persistent and dedicated to finding solutions. However, the transition did not come without significant challenges and learning opportunities.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has had a wide-ranging impact on college students as programs have moved to online delivery, campuses have closed, and opportunities for employment and experiential learning have stopped.

As of mid-March, our apprenticeship programs were suspended. Field placement, internships and co-operative jobs that could not be completed virtually are now incomplete. Programs requiring laboratory or studio work that could not be completed virtually are pending completion. Approximately 15% of our students have been unable to complete their semester as of today's date, and that has delayed graduation for many. Students with learning disabilities really struggled to move into the virtual platforms, and faculty struggled to convert to a virtual delivery that was accessible.

Significantly, though, the disruption to students' lives was more impactful in other areas. I believe it's widely known that one in five Canadian students lives with mental health challenges, and the majority of post-secondary students with mental health needs access mental health supports through their campuses. While campuses have continued to provide support virtually, students report difficulty finding confidential space when the family is at home, and they report escalating mental health challenges related to the new life challenges that all of us are facing. There are also a lot of feelings of isolation or of feeling trapped in environments where their mental health issues may have originated, and the limitations of virtual care have been very deeply felt.

Other students with disabilities have reported struggling to adapt quickly to a virtual delivery mode for their coursework and difficulty adapting their accommodations to the virtual environment. Students with children or senior parents struggle to attend virtual classes and manage child care or elder care when there are not options outside the home. Campus food banks are not accessible, and local food banks are facing supply challenges. Our indigenous students often have limited access to Internet, and it has created additional barriers to the completion of courses and being able to maintain social contacts. Our international students who did not return to their home countries experience isolation, the financial strain of staying in Canada longer than expected, and the uncertainty of how or if they will be able complete programs if they do leave Canada.

Many students were laid off from their part-time jobs and have been unable to start summer work because they're employed in industries that are closed, and 70% of Durham College students receive financial aid. With the semester ending in April and with a lack of employment, many of them do not have resources for rent or food. Students who are still employed tend to work in industries such as health care, grocery stores or elder care and feel the pressure of being at risk of infection and transmission to families. Finally, our students continue to seek campus support for issues related to escalating incidents of domestic violence, assistance with landlords who threaten eviction, or even deportation and racially motivated incidents related to COVID-19.

Government programs that have been created to support students are welcomed, particularly those announced over the past week or so, but they can't bridge the gaps that the level of disruption has created for our community and the associated uncertainty of the future.

In short, the current pandemic has shone a light on how critically important colleges are in providing not only education, but the social supports of thousands of students. It also highlights the fundamental need to build a resilient post-secondary system that's nimble and can be sustained through a global crisis.

Colleges, like so many other organizations, are significantly challenged financially as a result of refunding fees, stopped programs and declines in enrolment. We are going to be seeking support going forward to meet the following challenges:

The education and training of all employees, faculty and staff in more effective use of technologies that are universally accessible to deliver programs and services in as robust a manner as possible, both on campus and virtually.

The identification of, and advocacy for, options to ensure that all students and employees have access to robust and reliable Internet services, regardless of their location and economic resources.

Advocacy for employer support to create new jobs that are flexible in delivery methods, and to ensure sustainable employment for students.

Advocacy for research into more effective ways to reduce the need for escalating mental health supports in favour of proactive measures that build resilience and well-being for all.

Advocacy for more effective mental health supports for those who need them.

Finally, advocacy for enhanced financial resources for students who cannot be employed, or whose education may be disrupted again by COVID-19 spread, and effective mechanisms for accessing these supports.

Thank you for your time and for listening today.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Thank you, Ms. Oliver.

Next we have Universities Canada with Mr. Davidson.

May 11th, 2020 / 5:10 p.m.

Paul Davidson President and Chief Executive Officer, Universities Canada

Good afternoon. Thank you very much for the opportunity to appear before you. I really appreciate this. It's really good to see members of Parliament working so hard in this virtual way. Thank you for the extraordinary work that you're all doing as you fight the pandemic.

With me today is Wendy Therrien. She is our director of public affairs.

I think most members know that Universities Canada represents all 95 universities in Canada. Taken together, Canada's universities are a $35 billion-a-year enterprise and are significant drivers of economic prosperity. They provide employment for over 300,000 people and are the talent engine for Canada.

I want to echo and applaud the remarks of the previous speaker, because colleges and universities are working together on these issues. Canada's universities are an integral part of the team Canada approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, from mitigating the risks to finding a cure and accelerating Canada's economy into recovery.

In just 10 days, universities moved about 1.4 million students online to finish the semester. Universities are conducting COVID-19 related research and donating equipment. They've repurposed dormitories to house front-line health care workers, and are converting research labs to testing facilities as they step up to serve in the national response.

We deeply appreciate that the government has recreated Canada's social safety net in just a matter of weeks, and injected record liquidity to keep the economy moving. We're particularly pleased to see the $9-billion investment in support measures announced for students earlier this month, including the Canada emergency student benefit, the changes to student financial aid and support for job opportunities and volunteer service. These measures are essential to helping young people through the pandemic, ensuring they can continue their studies in the fall and contribute over their lifetimes to building a stronger Canada.

However, for students to succeed, universities also need to be strong. Like most sectors of the economy, universities have been profoundly impacted by the pandemic. One of the biggest sources of revenue for Canadian universities and their communities is international student revenues. They contribute more to Canada's economy than the export of softwood, more than the export of wheat and more than the export of auto parts. They contribute $6 billion in tuition revenue to universities annually. For many institutions, international students contribute over 50% of tuition revenue.

With closed borders and closed visa application centres, we can anticipate significantly lower international student enrolment this fall. The loss of these revenues will directly impact all students and the ability of universities to meet the needs of Canadian students.

In addition, universities have had to wind down non-essential research and massively reduce on-campus activities, creating a difficult fiscal situation for the institutions, including job losses. We've been working with federal officials to develop a range of measures that will help support students, stabilize university operations and contribute to economic recovery. For example, we are proposing a direct federal transfer, or other mechanism, to help universities bridge their operations until borders are open and international student visa processing returns to a normal level. There's every chance that Canada will emerge stronger in international education post-pandemic, but the loss of revenues could be catastrophic. Canada needs those students to meet our labour force and immigration goals.

With the fall session set to begin in a few short months, we know that there is considerable anxiety among students and parents. Sixty per cent of students surveyed said they would prefer an online study option in September, even if health authorities deemed it safe to return to campus.

Universities need urgent federal support to undertake large-scale digital transformation to meet the needs of students. This includes the transition from in-person courses to accessible, high-quality online or hybrid courses; major upgrades to university IT infrastructure to ensure universities are able to deliver academic support, career counselling and mental health measures online; and supports to help with skilling, re-skilling and upskilling for the millions of Canadians without work who are looking now to enhance their skills.

For students to succeed, universities must be strong. Federal supports to stabilize universities will help ensure that we are able to accelerate Canada and Canadians into recovery.

Thank you again for the opportunity to appear.

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Thank you, Mr. Davidson.

Speaking next, from the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, is Ms. Town.

5:15 p.m.

Megan Town Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association

Good evening, Mr. Casey and distinguished parliamentarians. I thank you for the opportunity to appear before you. I am the vice-president, education, for the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association, WUSA. My predecessor, Matthew Gerrits, joins me today to speak on behalf of the Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities, or UCRU.

I would particularly like to commend Ms. Oliver for her statements, which covered the wide array of concerns that students are facing. I'll focus now on students' financial concerns.

I would like to express gratitude for the government's action to support Canadian students, as well as to Parliament and the wide array of members who showed their concern for students. The aid package will be a welcome relief for thousands of students WUSA represents.

We do, of course, continue to monitor students’ concerns, and I can share some of them with you today. We know that the Canada emergency student benefit excludes international students. We've heard stories like that of an Egyptian student who had to find a Canadian lease when his home country’s borders closed to him. This leaves international students studying and residing here without support to pay the same expenses that Canadian students do, while struggling to save money for tuition in the fall. We are asking our university, the provincial government and the federal government to coordinate to ensure these students do not fall through the cracks.

We are also hoping for a quick rollout of the announced programs to assist students who are already experiencing significant financial need. We appreciate the rapid development of support programs and thank the civil service for their tireless dedication during this time. We are hoping that applications will soon be open and that students can have certainty about when to apply and when to expect payment, so they can adjust their financial plans accordingly. Accurate information and a timely rollout are key to achieving the policy goals of the new student benefit, the service grant, changes to loans and grants, and other programs.

Once again, I thank you for your time today, and I will now pass it over to Mr. Gerrits.

5:15 p.m.

Matthew Gerrits Outgoing Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association

Thank you, Ms. Town.

Through the chair, thank you to the committee. It is an honour to be here today. WUSA is one of nine members of Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities, or UCRU, which represents over 250,000 students across Canada. Last month, I had the privilege to work on a report drafted by UCRU that detailed our members' concerns about financial situations and recommendations for student support in response to COVID-19. I will detail some of my thoughts here today on the government's response where Ms. Town has not already covered them.

We have heard concerns from one of our member institutions about support for indigenous students, and we are hoping more information will be made available to provide clarity to them about what supports might be available. Currently, it is unclear to students whether support programs for indigenous students are complementary to the CESB or whether they are exclusive. More information about this and other programs, including the Canada student service grant, will be key as students plan out their summer.

Students are also concerned about the rising cost of tuition, especially as post-secondary programs are administered online. Years of decreases to public funding of post-secondary education by provincial governments has led to an increased financial vulnerability of institutions to drops of enrolment, especially international enrolment, a condition that we fear this crisis may bring. The vulnerable institutions are diverse in size and in geography. Therefore, we ask that the federal government collaborate with the leadership of post-secondary institutions, as well as provincial ministers of higher education, to explore what role the federal government may play to ensure universities' finances can weather this pandemic.

Students are concerned about being able to afford to continue school in September. For that reason we’d also like to mention that we see the increases to the Canada student grant program as stepping into that gap for most students in need, and we are incredibly grateful that these increases were included in the student aid package. However, student aid usually uses the previous year’s tax data, which may not account for how the income of a student’s parents or guardians may have been affected by COVID-19. We ask the government to investigate how to account for this in the fall 2020 Canada student grant disbursements.

Finally, an area of concern is with regard to eligibility requirements, which prevent students from accessing CESB if they have income even slightly in excess of $1,000 per month. In the event that CESB must be extended, which we hope will not be required, we suggest the government investigate a phase-out of the benefit for students earning above $1,000 in a more gradual fashion, while holding steady or increasing the $1,250 base amount.

On behalf of UCRU, I would like to convey our thanks for the government’s action, which we understand to be the largest one-time financial investment in student aid in history and proportional to the crisis that students face. We also hope that action can be taken on these outstanding priorities of international student inclusion, efficient and timely rollout, clear communication of information and coordination to support our post-secondary institutions. We have also provided some additional detail in our joint brief, which is still under translation and will be distributed to members in the coming days.

Thank you very much for your parliamentary service during this time, and for listening to students’ concerns. Both Ms. Town and I look forward to your questions.

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Thank you, Mr. Gerrits and Ms. Town.

Before we go to members of Parliament for questions, Mr. Davidson and Ms. Town, I have a note from interpretation. They're having a bit of challenge in picking you up. When you are speaking, if you could just hold your mike a little closer to your mouth, that would be extremely helpful.

With that, we're going to start with the Conservatives and Mr. Melillo for six minutes. Welcome to the committee.

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I appreciate the opportunity to be here today. I would like to say thank you to our witnesses, of course, for joining us to speak on these important concerns. I trust you're all doing well and staying safe.

Conservatives know that many students are going to have difficulty funding their future education and are even struggling just to get by right now if they cannot find employment. That's why we supported the government's student benefit legislation.

However, I've had many conversations with business owners who have concerns about the program, and that is why we have advocated for making it more flexible. As it states now, subsection 5(2) of the act identifies applicants as students who apply “on the basis that they are seeking work...but are unable to find it”. The act further states that they must “attest...that they are seeking work”, and that the “Minister is to make available...information” to the job bank if there are “employment opportunities”.

I have a question for the witnesses. Do you believe that these provisions are adequate to ensure the benefit does not disincentivize work for students?

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

I believe that question was directed to Ms. Town or Mr. Gerrits.

5:20 p.m.

Outgoing Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association

Matthew Gerrits

I think that is generally something that we would like to see. We have a hypothetical—and it's more than a hypothetical—example about somebody who chooses to work as a grocery clerk. If they earn $999, they can receive the benefit, but if they were to earn $1,001, depending on what levels are prescribed in regulation, they would suddenly lose a lot of money.

The kind of policy you describe is valuable to us for a different reason as well, which is the predictability of income for students. Not knowing whether they're going to be scheduled for shifts that will put them over that limit might make students' financial planning difficult. We would like to see that investigated.

Of course, I don't have a major in public policy, so I'll leave it up to policy folks to figure out what structure will work toward those ends.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON

Thank you. I definitely understand that.

I apologize for the confusion on who was to answer. I'll try to keep this going directly with you, but if anyone else has a point to make, please jump in.

I was concerned about that, because I was a student very recently—just last year—and I know that I wouldn't have wanted a long gap in my resumé if work was available. We all know that employment opportunities offer a lot more than just the income. One gets to gain experience, learn new skills and build relationships that will help in future studies or careers.

Just to expand on that, do you believe the federal government should provide alternative programs for students who would rather be working?

5:25 p.m.

Outgoing Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association

Matthew Gerrits

I think the government stepping in, in some form—either to provide work or to help connect students with work—is a policy that is going to be beneficial. I think you identify very correctly that students don't want a gap in their resumé, nor do they want a gap in their pocketbooks.

We see experiential education as something that is going to be very key. We know that some programs have already been rolled out by the government, as we saw in their backgrounder. We're interested to see where those go, how quickly they roll out and for what duration they exist, but we definitely see the opportunity to have students at work as positive, and I think many students do as well.

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON

Absolutely, and there are a lot of concerns right now, particularly in the agriculture and agri-food sectors, and that hits home in my riding as well. There are places like Freshwater Cuisine, which is doing great work but facing difficult times. I'm hoping not to be repetitive here, but our party proposed a specific plan to match youth to jobs in the agriculture and agri-food industries. Do you believe that something like this might be more beneficial to some youth than the emergency payout?

5:25 p.m.

Outgoing Vice-President, Education, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association

Matthew Gerrits

I'll start by saying that it definitely resounds in my riding as well. My father making use of my own labour on our own farm was.... I'm sure he would be happy to have a hand to replace him.

On a more general note, a variety of students and young people across Canada are going to be affected by a loss of income. Matching their skills to jobs that they can fill is going to be very important.

I remember hearing from a student on the day the program was announced who said, “It's something I'd be willing to try". I think that is something some students may look into.

I am not able to comment on the specifics of your plan—I apologize—because I have not read it; however, I think it probably merits further investigation, especially insofar as how motivated students might be to take those jobs in particular.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Thank you.

Next we're going to the Liberals.

Mr. Turnbull, please, you have six minutes.

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to start off by saying that I think we all recognize that post-secondary institutions and the sector in general, which includes student associations and many groups that support students in that sort of ecosystem, are essential to the fight against COVID-19.

I'm really happy that you all made some time today to be part of our standing committee and to provide some testimony. I really appreciate your role.

I'll start with a few opening remarks and then my first question will be for you, Mr. Davidson.

Our government recently announced a $9-billion package of support for students and recent graduates. We know that students are under considerable pressure right now; they are vulnerable and need financial support to continue their studies in the fall. This is an important step in terms of starting their careers eventually.

I read a report recently by an organization called Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities. It was a petition about post-secondary student supports, and it was before the federal government launched the CESB, the Canada emergency student benefit. It identified two pressing gaps: students who got financial aid in the last year who were having trouble meeting their financial obligations, i.e., their living expenses over the summer; and students who did not get financial aid during that last academic year, but who were also having trouble meeting their financial obligations over the summer. In many cases, I think their parents might also not have been working at this time, as we know some students do rely on their parents for some financial support.

These two groups of individuals, which I understand are a considerable number of students out there, were the target specifically for the Canada emergency student benefit, which offers $1,250 per month from May through August and $500 extra for students with dependants or a permanent disability.

With more than one million students expected to receive this benefit, do you think we got it right, Mr. Davidson? Is this really covering off the immediate needs of most students?

5:30 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Universities Canada

Paul Davidson

I think there's been some tremendous work done over the last several weeks to rebuild Canada's social safety net. In rebuilding it, you do find people who have been missed or vulnerabilities. That is the really exciting public policy work to be done for years to come, how we build back better.

The scale and scope of the CESB is unprecedented. It's has been developed at lightning speed, and it's making a difference in the lives of students. One of the reasons we're so pleased about that is it gives hope and confidence to students that their economic needs will be met as they move through the summer and into the fall.

We want to make sure that students remain attached to their post-secondary enterprise, whether it's through the college system or through the university system. This is a generation that Canada is going to need, so these investments are really important.

I would say that it's not just about the student financial aid components of it but also about the work-integrated learning aspects of it. Those programs are oversubscribed already. Helping businesses take on students to provide a work-integrated learning experience is critically important.

Seeing the policy iterate out to include an alternative for volunteer service is also really important.

I know a number of young people who have been at home for four, six, seven or eight weeks, and they are eager to take on work they can find. They are resilient and they're going to do great for their country.

This kind of support is the sort of thing that puts us all in a good space for a strong fall in September.

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Thanks, Mr. Davidson.

To echo my colleague, Mr. Melillo's, comments about students really wanting to work, I think another key aspect of that $9-billion package was really looking at re-enrolment in the fall. Certainly all students and all post-secondary institutions out there want to see students continue their success and continue advancing in their learning. I think we've created measures that basically create more targeted job opportunities for students and greater access to financial assistance.

There's been quite a bit in both of those areas. The Canada summer jobs program was already creating about 70,000 jobs per year, but we've expanded that and made it much more flexible. We've added agriculture jobs and a targeted platform, a portal for finding those jobs, the Canada service corps, the Canada student service grant, and so on. There are numerous activities and measures that have been targeted towards job creation for students.

For the financial assistance piece, we've doubled and enhanced the Canada student grants and loans program, broadened and created more eligibility for student financial assistance, and increased the amount for indigenous post-secondary education and those distinction-based supports, which I'm really happy to see have been increased by about $75.2 million.

Ms. Oliver, maybe you could start by commenting on whether you think these measures are really going to help students and the re-enrolment that I'm sure we're all concerned about in the fall.

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Ms. Oliver, that was a long question, but it requires a short answer.

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Sorry.

5:35 p.m.

Vice-President, Student Affairs, Durham College

Meri Kim Oliver

I think we're actually seeing the impact of it already. We're starting to see shifts in enrolment and our students talking more positively about returning in the fall. The biggest barrier for our students right now is the anticipation of whether or not we are going to have to deliver programs online, which will of course be completely dependent on where we are in the pandemic and what the limitations may or may not be.

In terms of bridging gaps for our students, I meet with the student leaders about three times a week, and we are hearing that it's made a big difference in terms of the level of anxiety and the ability to consider continuing their education in the fall.

5:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Sean Casey

Thank you.

Ms. Chabot, you have the floor for six minutes.

5:35 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I am going to ask a few questions, then I will give the floor to my colleague Kristina Michaud, from the beautiful riding of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, which is just as beautiful as yours, Mr. Chair.

First of all, thank you very much to all the witnesses, both from the student association and from Universities Canada. We are talking about an environment that has also been affected by COVID-19, unfortunately.

My question is for Mr. Davidson.

Mr. Davidson, you said at the outset that universities are economic drivers and talent drivers, but I would add that they are also knowledge drivers. Universities, and CEGEPs in Quebec, are key players for the entire next generation. We will continue to count on these young people in the recovery we will need to initiate.

In terms of research, you briefly noted that there has been support for universities conducting research on COVID-19. That is also the case in Quebec, and it was applauded. I hope that basic research is not going unsupported just because of COVID-19, and that we will remember how important it is after the crisis.

I am finally going to ask my question, which is about foreign students. In Quebec, there are 30,000 of them. That is a lot fewer than in Ontario, but it is still a concern. A number of universities are trying to get organized, as are CEGEPs in the regions. In Matane, 40% of the students are foreign students.

Can you share your ideas for action or solutions, or paint us a picture of the situation?

5:35 p.m.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Universities Canada

Paul Davidson

Thank you for your question.

If you will allow me, I am going to give the floor to my colleague Wendy Therrien, who can answer more easily in French than I can.