February 17, 2006
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| This investment will enhance learning opportunities for students at Loyalist College in Belleville. |
BELLEVILLE — Students at Loyalist College will benefit from a $364,000 investment to enhance learning opportunities and improve student success, Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and MPP for Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox-Addington, said today.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to rural Ontario, in my riding of Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox-Addington and across the province,” said Dombrowsky. “Rural education is a key priority of the McGuinty government, and this additional funding for rural colleges shows we are delivering results.”
The government is investing $10 million in 2005-06 to help small, northern and rural colleges increase access to high quality programs in their communities. This investment will rise to $20 million in 2007-08. The additional funding augments existing northern and rural funding for colleges which increased from $38.4 million in 2004-05 to $41.7 million in 2005-06.
“We are strengthening our province by strengthening our most important competitive advantage – our people,” said Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “Our government recognizes that small, northern and rural colleges face special challenges, including higher costs to provide the same services as their larger urban counterparts. This funding will help to create a level playing field and ensure students at these colleges will have opportunities for a high quality education.”
“We are very appreciative of this support from the provincial government,” said Maureen Piercy, President of Loyalist College. “It will enhance funding focused on meeting the needs of students from rural communities across our region.”
First announced in the 2005 Budget, the additional funding will be used to enable small, northern and rural colleges to increase their program offerings, improve access for their students, including typically under-represented groups, and to improve student success. These investments are expected to result in higher educational achievement and improvements in academic retention, enrolment and graduation.
Through its Reaching Higher Plan, the government is investing $6.2 billion in Ontario’s postsecondary system over the next five years – the single largest, multi-year investment in 40 years. This includes $20 million to be allocated by 2007-08 for small, northern and rural colleges. The goal of the plan is to help these colleges to improve quality, accessibility and accountability in postsecondary education.
“Our government is investing in the foundations of learning so that our postsecondary students get the very best education possible,” said Minister Dombrowsky. “This is about standing up for Ontario’s students.”
