The province has introduced a new measure to provide more support to students and post-secondary institutions during the pandemic.
Premier Brian Pallister announced Wednesday that the province will be matching funding for the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative (MSBI) for the upcoming academic year.
That means the Manitoba government will be matching every dollar universities and colleges contribute under the MSBI.
“As students and the post-secondary institutions they attend deal with challenges created by COVID-19, the Manitoba government is committed to providing the funding they need during these uncertain times,” said Pallister. “We are facing the obstacles in front of us together, and it is imperative that we rely on our strong partnership with post-secondary institutions and our shared vision for access to education.”
The province is also committing $5 million to the MSBI program on top of the $10 million announced in Budget 2020. This year students will have approximately $30 million in scholarships and bursaries up for grabs.
Today’s announcement adds to existing provincial supports in place for students — a $120-million Summer Student Recovery Plan – a $7-per-hour wage subsidy for employers to hire them – and a deferral of repayments of student loans to help those affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19.
