Student Aid, Federal-Provincial Relations, and University Finance

If provincial government funding of universities continues to decline, the traditional relationship between student aid, tuition costs and institutional finance will likely undergo major changes. The role of student contributions to university financing will become more critical as post-secondary institutions attempt to effectively supplement the funding they receive from government sources. Thus while universities should be given more discretion in setting tuition fees, appropriate student aid schemes must also be devised in order to counter any adverse impact on access to post-secondary education.