EDMONTON, FEBRUARY 12, 2021 – The ACFA is providing a community update on the Save Saint-Jean campaign. In December 2020, as part of their U of A For Tomorrow restructuring initiative, the University of Alberta selected a governance model that maintains Campus Saint-Jean’s autonomy and distinct character. However, despite this decision, the state of the only French-language post-secondary institution west of Manitoba remains precarious.
On February 2, the ACFA learned from Radio-Canada that the Government of Alberta had granted a $1.5 million contract to a law firm, for the period of August 2020 to March 2021, to mount its defense against the ACFA regarding Campus Saint-Jean’s funding.
The ACFA is astonished to discover how the government manages public funds. This contract represents a considerable sum that could have been allocated directly to Campus Saint-Jean to alleviate its precarious financial situation. The ACFA’s original ask to Alberta was for $1 million by the end of March 2021 to maintain the institution’s programming. It is also important to remember that the Government of Alberta could have obtained a 100% return on its investment by working with the federal government on an $8 million infrastructure project needed for Campus Saint-Jean. The Government of Canada has confirmed that it is willing to contribute half of this amount.
The ACFA’s Provincial Board of Directors will discuss next steps on this file and the Save Saint-Jean donation campaign at its next meeting on February 24-27, 2021.
Since 1926, the ACFA has been the voice of the French-speaking community in Alberta. Its role is to promote the interests of the latter and ensure its overall development.
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Contact :
Alexandra Ventura-Giroux, Public Affairs Manager, ACFA
T 780.466.1680, ext. 217
a.ventura-giroux@acfa.ab.ca
