Close X
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
ADVT 
National

All former youth in care in B.C. now eligible for education tuition waivers: minister

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Sep, 2023 12:12 PM
  • All former youth in care in B.C. now eligible for education tuition waivers: minister

British Columbia has expanded its tuition waiver program to include all former youth in government care enrolling in post-secondary education.

Selina Robinson, post-secondary education and future skills minister, says the program is no longer capped at the student's 27th birthday.

She says the budget for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program is $19.2 million over the next three years, providing former youth in care with free tuition at all 25 public post-secondary institutions, the Native Education College and approved union-based trades training providers.

B.C.'s Ombudsperson Jay Chalke released a report last week that called on the government to compensate a woman who left government care at 17 years old to live with her aunt, but was denied post-secondary funding and ended up enrolling in a program at her own cost.

Children's Minister Mitzi Dean said in a statement her ministry would review the report, but did not offer to compensate the woman.

The post-secondary education ministry says in a statement about 2,300 students have accessed the tuition waiver program since its implementation in 2017, resulting in the waiving of $16.6 million in tuition fees.

MORE National ARTICLES

Body found in Oak Bay identified

Body found in Oak Bay identified
Police in Saanich say they have identified a man found dead under suspicious circumstances in Oak Bay as Steven Middleton. They say the 33-year-old's body was found on Wednesday in the 200-block of Beach Drive and the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit has taken over the investigation.

Body found in Oak Bay identified

Robbery at a New Westminster pharmacy

Robbery at a New Westminster pharmacy
At around 2:30pm on Thursday, New Westminster Police were called to a pharmacy on 12th Street after an employee described two suspects armed with a firearm robbed the business of money and prescription medicine.  

Robbery at a New Westminster pharmacy

IHIT identifies Richmond shooting victim as Ravinder Samra

IHIT identifies Richmond shooting victim as Ravinder Samra
They say officers found Samra with gunshot wounds and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Police say they believe a vehicle that was found on fire nearby about 10 minutes later is associated with the shooting.  

IHIT identifies Richmond shooting victim as Ravinder Samra

Free transit from Aug 6-Aug 31 in the Fraser Valley

Free transit from Aug 6-Aug 31 in the Fraser Valley
Transit will also be free (excluding tickets and pass products) for riders on conventional transit from the resumption of service on August 6 through to August 31, 2023. BC Transit and the local government partners want to thank everyone for their patience during the service disruption

Free transit from Aug 6-Aug 31 in the Fraser Valley

B.C. real estate agent fined $20,000 after being caught swigging milk at home showing

B.C. real estate agent fined $20,000 after being caught swigging milk at home showing
A consent order released by the BC Financial Services Authority last week says Mike Rose was alone in the home in Kamloops, B.C., in July last year as he waited for his clients, who were interested in buying the property. 

B.C. real estate agent fined $20,000 after being caught swigging milk at home showing

Hundreds allowed to return home near Kamloops as evacuation order eases

Hundreds allowed to return home near Kamloops as evacuation order eases
An evacuation order covering hundreds of properties south of Kamloops, B.C., has been scaled back to an alert as crews make good progress containing a wildfire about 10 kilometres south of the city.  The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is allowing residents of 327 properties to return home, although they must be ready to leave again on short notice.

Hundreds allowed to return home near Kamloops as evacuation order eases