News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour is investing more than $593 million in fiscal 2014-15 in its core mandate of people, skills and jobs. The figures were outlined today as the department's main estimates were presented in the legislative assembly.

“Creating good-paying jobs for all New Brunswickers and growing the economy is our government's top priority,” said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr. “With investments in universities, students, innovation and in initiatives such as the One-Job Pledge, the New Brunswick Teen Apprentice Program and our Population Growth Strategy and Francophone Immigration Action Plan, we are building a sustainable labour market framework for today and tomorrow.”

Targeted investments this year include:

●    increasing support for universities by two per cent, representing $4.2 million this year;
●    adding $3.3 million to the tuition rebate program;
●    providing $4.6 million to improve accessibility, enhance credit transfers and articulation among the province’s post-secondary institutions, and assist graduate students and researchers;
●    investing $3.6 million for four new apprenticeship initiatives;
●    continuing to stabilize tuition rates, with an annual tuition increase cap of no more than three per cent for the next three years;
●    awarding up to 150 scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $21,000 under the Graduate Scholarship initiative as part of a five-year, $7-million commitment;
●    matching up to $1 million under the Opportunities Fund, which helps colleges and public universities;
●    supporting the New Brunswick Teen Apprentice Program with an additional $1 million over three years;
●    providing the Community Adult Learning Network with a annual commitment of $1 million;
●    completing the promise to provide adaptive workstations in all public libraries for those with print disabilities by investing $250,000 this year; and
●    maintaining funding levels for the federal-provincial labour market agreements, including for the new Canada Job Grant, valued at about $66 million over six years.

“Our government continues to invest in high quality programs and services that foster an educated and productive population,” said Carr. “We are making strategic investments, enhancing employment and training programs and putting our resources to work. This means efficiently and effectively connecting people needing jobs and jobs needing people.”

The department's budgeted investments for 2014-15 are guided by the common goals of stakeholders and the priorities outlined in the 44 action items of the Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy 2013-2016 and by the provincial government's commitment to return to balanced budgets by 2017-18.

Details about the main estimates for Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour can be found on the website of the Department of Finance.

LINK:

●    2014-15 Main Budget Estimates (Department of Finance)