HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia is spending $25 million to help the province’s universities manage the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province announced on Tuesday that they will provide a combined $25 million in financial relief to 10 universities across the province.
"We've heard from our universities and we know they are facing new challenges as their operations pivot due to COVID-19," said Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education. "This funding will address some of those challenges and help meet their immediate needs."
The province says Nova Scotia’s 10 universities faced ‘unexpected financial challenges’, including loss in revenues related to tuition and residence fees, and additional costs related to online learning development, faculty support, and increased cleaning.
"Since the beginning of the pandemic, universities across Nova Scotia have been working hard to ensure students can continue to learn in safe and positive ways," said Bill Lahey, chair, Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents. "These changes have presented unexpected financial costs and necessary investments, and this funding will help universities address the impact of those."
The following funding amounts are ‘based on information provided by the universities on expenses incurred in responding to the pandemic’:
- Acadia University $2,187,700
- Atlantic School of Theology $218,800
- Cape Breton University $2,187,700
- Dalhousie University $9,479,700
- Mount Saint Vincent University $1,458,400
- NSCAD University $1,215,400
- St. FX University $3,646,100
- Saint Mary's University $2,916,900
- University of King's College $1,324,700
- Université Sainte-Anne $364,600
This comes a month after Nova Scotia announced a one-time $750 COVID-19 Response Grant to all recipients of Nova Scotia Student Assistance in 2020-21, which is expected to be received by about 13,000 post-secondary students.
