The Government of Manitoba announced Budget 2024. Budget 2024 is focused on rebuilding healthcare, lowering costs for families, healthier families and safer communities, and growing the economy.

There were various funding increases to Advanced Education and Training, such as:

• Budget 2024 increases Manitoba Student Aid funding by $9-million to help ensure post-secondary education and training remains affordable and accessible to Manitobans.
• An increase of $15-million will support the Interest Free Student Loans program to ensure that Manitobans who need these loans can access them at no extra cost. Budget 2024 will also expand staff resources in the Manitoba Student Aid Program to process applications effectively and efficiently.
• Budget 2024 increases total funding to the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative to $10.5-million. The additional funding will support an increase in the number and value of awards for Indigenous students and others facing financial barriers to post-secondary education.
• $43-million to support post-secondary students training for their careers.

UMSU is pleased with the Manitoba government’s commitment to investing in post-secondary education as UMSU has advocated for the government to increase Manitoba Student Aid and the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Fund. This will have a positive impact on students, not just at the University of Manitoba, but all over the province. By increasing funding to Manitoba Student Aid, the Interest Free Student Loans program, and the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Fund, the Government of Manitoba is showing to students that they are committed to creating barrier-free access to education for all and building a brighter future for all Manitobans.

Despite overall support for this budget, UMSU is disappointed in the omission of reinstating international student health care coverage. International students have long been an integral part of the Manitoban academic landscape, bringing diverse perspectives, enriching the overall educational experience, and contributing to the Manitoban economy. We look forward to continue these discussions with the government.

UMSU remains committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of all students, and will continue to advocate for affordable and accessible education for all, including international students. UMSU will continue to engage with the Manitoba government to address this issue for the benefit of all students at the University of Manitoba.

For more information on this announcement, please visit: Budget 2024.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tracy Karuhogo

President

University of Manitoba Students’ Union

pres@umsu.ca