BC NDP Leader John Horgan said on Thursday that a re-elected BC NDP government will ensure more middle-class and low income students have access to as much as $4,000 a year to help them pay the cost of tuition, textbooks, and supplies. 

“While [BC Liberal Leader] Andrew Wilkinson wants to hand multi-millionaires a tax break on yachts, our focus is on making life more affordable for the people who need it most,” said Horgan. “We will continue breaking down barriers for students so they can get access to a college or university education and pursue their dreams.”

The BC Liberals cancelled needs-based grants and tripled the cost of an education while Wilkinson was a top government insider and then-cabinet minister. Horgan’s BC NDP eliminated interest on student loans, saving the average student $2,300, and introduced the BC Access Grant, putting money back into the pockets of about 40,000 students this fall, said the NDP.

“John Horgan made the first investment in post-secondary grants in nearly 15 years, after the BC Liberals let tuition fees skyrocket,” said Tesicca Truong, co-founder of CityHive and the BC NDP candidate in Vancouver-Langara. “We can’t afford to put the progress we’ve made at risk with Mr. Wilkinson’s plan to hand billions in giveaways to those at the top.” 

Horgan also announced that he will create an additional 2,000 spaces at post-secondary institutions across BC for students in technology related programs. 

“To build a recovery that’s felt by everyone, we will invest in training young people for the opportunities of today and the future,” said Horgan. “These new spaces will give more students the access to the skills needed to succeed in BC’s growing tech sector as the economy recovers.”