Postsecondary budget cuts in Alberta affect all postsecondary institutions in the province. The Campus Saint-Jean is not disproportionately affected by these cuts.
The Campus Saint-Jean has suffered from chronic operational and structural underfunding for many years. The addition of cuts in 2019 and 2020 increases its pre-existing budgetary shortfall.
Every year, through the Campus Alberta Grant, the Government of Alberta allocates operating grants to postsecondary institutions across the province, including the University of Alberta. The University of Alberta redistributes these funds to its faculties, including the Campus Saint-Jean. In addition to these funds, the provincial government also provides capital projects funding for infrastructure projects.
From an operational standpoint, the Campus Saint-Jean faces two problems. First, it receives operational funding based on just over 500 full-time students, which only covers 70% of its full-time students. The operational funding the Campus Saint-Jean receives has not increased despite a 40% increase in enrollment since 2014, and two increases in the admission averages requirements for students.
Secondly, the Campus Saint-Jean receives federal government funding from the Official Languages in Education Program (OLEP). These funds offset the additional costs related to offering French education in a minority context. However, the federal government has not increased these funds since at least 2009, which does not respond to the increase in the cost of living nor the increase in the province’s student population. Since the funding received is not in line with its current needs, the Campus Saint-Jean chooses to operate with a deficit to continue meeting demand, which continually requires the use of its reserve funds to stay afloat.
The budget cuts announced in 2019 by the Government of Alberta have resulted in budgetary cutbacks of 4.7% in 2019-2020 and 8.6% in 2020-2021, which will lead to the elimination of nearly 20% of the courses the Campus Saint-Jean currently offers. There is currently a $1 million revenue shortfall, and the Government of Alberta has restricted the Campus Saint-Jean from using its reserve funds, unlike prior years.
When we consider infrastructure, the Campus Saint-Jean has not undergone renovations since the Residence Saint-Jean underwent renovations nearly 20 years ago. Following a study conducted in 2015, the University of Alberta had determined that the Campus Saint-Jean required structural updates and new science labs, representing a cost of nearly $19 million. Having been unable to access the necessary funds from the Government of Alberta, the renovations became a $3.1 million project thanks to funding from the federal government and the University of Alberta.
Recently, the Government of Alberta has again refused to contribute to a renovation project for the Campus Saint-Jean’s infrastructure. The $10.9 million project was reviewed and limited to an $8 million project. Despite the federal government allocated in its 2019-2020 fiscal year budget a $3.7 million investment towards infrastructure costs for Campus Saint-Jean, it still has not received the financial equivalent from the provincial government.
Sources :
Government funding support for post-secondary institutions
Campus Saint-Jean : 1,3 M$ pour rénover les laboratoires, insuffisant juge le doyen (article in French only)
Inauguration des nouveaux laboratoires de sciences du Campus Saint-Jean (article in French only)
Le Campus Saint-Jean sauvé pour septembre, mais toujours menacé (article in French only)
News Release : The ACFA deeply disappointed that Campus Saint-Jean does not receive its share
« C’est inacceptable » : Claudette Tardif dénonce les compressions au Campus Saint-Jean (article in French only)
