Ottawa, April 16, 2024 – Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) welcomes Budget 2024’s commitment to addressing Canada’s most urgent challenges by investing in workforce development. Harnessing the full potential of colleges and institutes is key to fulfilling these commitments, and they stand as ready partners across Canada.
CICan especially applauds the Budget’s investments to address our national housing crisis. Our members, as the sector’s pan-Canadian experts in applied education and research, are key to realizing the success of these investments. They not only train our builders but also innovate the latest tools and materials used in constructing new homes.
Initiatives to promote new construction and invest in the homebuilding workforce through the Apprenticeship Service and the investment in Foreign Credential Recognition for newcomers in construction trades will be instrumental in meeting Canada’s housing goals. This budget also supports our members in providing quality student housing via changes to the Apartment Construction Loan Program and the GST rebate, among others.
CICan commends the Budget’s attention to modernizing Canada’s research and innovation funding system for greater impact through mission-driven research and is keen to mobilize our national applied research capacity around Canada’s most pressing challenges. Our members serve as the R&D engines of their local economies and regions, working in partnership with businesses and industries to advance innovation and increase productivity. This role is particularly crucial in tackling urgent challenges such as housing. From sustainable construction methods to affordable housing solutions, colleges and institutes play a vital role in developing and implementing emerging technologies and innovations and training a skilled workforce crucial to making Canada globally competitive.
We are pleased to see investments in postsecondary access for First Nations learners and students in financial need to give all Canadians access to the workforce of tomorrow. Investments in student jobs and work-integrated-learning (WIL) will further support students to access the labour market.
Lastly, CICan welcomes investments in the care economy, including establishing the Youth Mental Health Fund and new investments in training and skills for Early Childhood Education in our communities. These are vital health and social policy areas where our sector is ready and eager to make an even greater impact.
“The budget rightly prioritizes investments in workforce development and training in critical areas of concern for Canadians,” says Pari Johnston, President and CEO. “Canada’s colleges and institutes are its greatest asset in preparing Canadians to address these challenges, fostering widespread adoption and application of new skills, tools and technologies that enable Canada to work smarter and faster so everyone can get ahead.”
Our members are vital to realizing the long-term economic impact of this year’s Budget. CICan urges the Government of Canada to leverage the full potential of our country’s pan-Canadian network of colleges and institutes to meet its bold goals. Only by investing in the power of our institutions will we truly set Canada up for future success.
About Colleges and Institutes Canada
CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, and thanks to its extensive reach around the globe, CICan works to future-proof communities in Canada and abroad.
We respectfully acknowledge that CICan’s offices in Ottawa are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.
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For more information:
Katrina King
Senior Digital Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: kking@collegesinstitutes.ca
Twitter: @CollegeCan