Harper Government invests in youth and Pathways to Education's continued success

VANCOUVER, March 27, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development, today announced additional federal funding to Pathways to Education Canada. The announcement was made as part of the public launch of the new Pathways Vancouver program.

This funding of $24 million over four years will allow Pathways to expand its activities across the country and continue helping at-risk youth living in low-income communities stay in school and get the education they need to succeed both now and in the future.

Pathways is a community-based program that partners with governments, social welfare agencies, community organizations, the private sector, and volunteers to provide youth with tutoring, mentoring and financial assistance. Approximately 5,000 students currently receive support from Pathways, while more than 2,200 have graduated from the program to date.

Graduates of the program are giving back to their communities and are a testament to the program's success.

Youth programs, such as Pathways, are part of the Government of Canada's strategy to connect Canadians with available jobs, which includes a number of initiatives to help youth develop skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs.

Quick Facts

• Pathways to Education and its partners currently operate programs in 17 communities across Canada, including the new Vancouver program, and rely on over 1,350 volunteers to work with youth and to serve as mentors and role models.
• Since the introduction of the program, high-school graduation rates among program participants have more than doubled, and post-secondary education participation has increased by up to 300 percent.
• By 2016, Pathways will serve over 10,000 students and alumni each year.
• The Government of Canada is proposing new measures to help make life more affordable for families. These measures include enhancements to the Universal Child Care Benefit, the introduction of the Family Tax Cut and improvements to the Child Care Expenses Deduction and the Children's Fitness Tax Credit.

Quotes

"Our Government commends Pathways to Education Canada for its outstanding work in helping at-risk youth stay in school and pursue post-secondary education. We are proud to highlight our continued investment in innovative programs like Pathways to Education so more youth can reach their full potential. We are committed to making post-secondary education accessible to all Canadians, recognizing that education and training are key factors in building a strong economy and workforce."
– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)

"We are thrilled that the Government of Canada is demonstrating such a strong, continued commitment to Canadian youth. Their generous investment will be extremely valuable as Pathways continues to expand across Canada. Their support will make an important impact on the lives of thousands of youth across the country."
– Samuel L. Duboc, Chair, Pathways to Education Canada

Associated Links

• Pathways to Education Canada
• Canada's Economic Action Plan

Backgrounder

Pathways to Education Canada

• Launched in 2001 by the Regent Park Community Health Centre in Toronto, Pathways to Education now operates in 17 communities across Canada with sites in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and British Columbia.
• High-school completion rates and post-secondary education participation have dramatically increased since the introduction of the program. In certain communities, the high-school drop-out rate has decreased by as much as 70 percent, and the rate at which program participants go on to college or university is up by 300 percent.
• With support from both Economic Action Plan 2010 and 2013, Pathways has grown from serving approximately 2,500 students at eight sites in two provinces to approximately 5,000 students at 17 sites in five provinces.

Post-secondary education

The Government of Canada invests significantly in helping all Canadians to save for, finance and repay their post‑secondary education. These measures include the Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), the Canada Learning Bond (CLB), the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), Canada Student Loans and Grants and the Repayment Assistance Plan.

An RESP is a special savings plan, like a savings account that helps save money for a child's education after high school. RESPs allow your savings to grow tax-free. RESPs also make it possible to receive extra money through the Government of Canada's education savings incentives, specifically the CLB and the CESG.

For more information on federal education savings incentives, visit Canlearn.ca.

The Canada Student Loans Program offers loans, grants and repayment assistance to students.

Canada Student Grants provide up-front, non-repayable financial assistance to low- and middle-income students, students with permanent disabilities and students with dependants.

For borrowers having difficulty making their payments, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) helps them repay their loans. RAP makes it easier for borrowers to manage their student loans by paying back what they can reasonably afford, based on their family income and size. Borrowers also have an option to negotiate a revision of repayment terms to accommodate their financial situation, such as extending the amortization period to reduce the size of monthly payments.

Since January 2015, the Canada Apprentice Loan provides apprentices in Red Seal trades with access to interest-free loans of up to $4,000 per period of technical training. To help apprentices complete their apprenticeship, the loan remains interest-free until after they complete or leave their apprenticeship training program, for a maximum of six years.

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant and the Apprenticeship Completion Grant encourage Canadians to pursue and complete their apprenticeship training in designated Red Seal trades. Eligible apprentices could receive up to $4,000, which can be used to pay for tuition, tools or other expenses.

For more information on the supports apprentices can benefit from, visit Canada.ca/apprentice.

Universal Child Care Benefit

The Government of Canada is introducing measures to help families prosper. These measures include enhancements to the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB), the introduction of the Family Tax Cut and improvements to the Child Care Expense Deduction and the Children's Fitness Tax Credit.

• The UCCB would increase to up to $1,920 per year for children under the age of 6, and parents would receive a benefit of up to $720 per year for each child aged 6 through 17.
• The proposed enhancements to the UCCB would provide $160 per month for each child under the age of 6, and $60 per month for each child aged 6 through 17.

For more information on these new measures, visit Helping Families Prosper.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Related Links

http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca