Note 1: Affordability in Canada vs. in the US

This post is part of a week-long series.

Many Canadians assume that their education is more affordable than that in the US. Whether they've heard of the astoundingly high prices for institutions like Yale or Harvard, seen the high tuition fees for certain state universities, or just extrapolated from their assumption that our social policy is more egalitarian than in the US -- they might find this comparative research surprising, something both Millennium, who commissioned the study, and EPI, who published it, are quick to point out.

They are also quick to note the limitations of the international comparisons. Loan remission and tax rebate programs, for instance, both have limited data available on one or both sides of the border. Nonetheless, the research remains invaluable, raising the question of whether there is enough aid in Canada. Indeed, both reports bluntly state:

The amount of aid available to Canadian students is not what it needs to be.

How do they arrive at this? In looking for a "comprehensive approach to the notion of affordability", Millennium and EPI look beyond the cost of tuition by adding room and board, and then by subtracting available aid in order to attain what they call out-of-pocket expenses. Their findings are summarized in the chart below.

If we are moving towards a high-cost system -- and the trend in tuition and housing certainly seem to suggest this -- we need to ask two questions. First of all, is this policy shift the best way to ensure greater access, or are there better alternatives? And second, if we are going to follow this policy shift, when are we going to introduce the second half of the equation, namely high-aid? The longer we linger, the more qualified students miss out on an education they deserve.


To read the full study, visit the Millennium Scholarships website.