EDMONTON -- Protestors and post-secondary workers gathered at the University of Alberta Saturday to rally against government cuts.
“In the last two-and-a-half years the U of A has lost nearly 30 per cent of its operating grant, with 11 percent (lost) this year alone,” said one person with the Non-Academic Staff Association at the U of A.
Alberta has more than 15,000 post-secondary support staff working in the province.
"We've lost a lot of great people through job cuts, but most importantly is the loss of capacity to maintain our great standing as world-class institutions,” said Liz Halpenny, a protestor.
“We want to maintain our great research institutions that we’ve build up over the past few decades.”
Protestors said there are more students being admitted to universities, but increasing cuts are resulting in less staff.
According to Demetrios Nicolaides, the advanced education minister, the government does recognize the importance of post-secondary institutions.
“However, Alberta post-secondary institutions receive higher taxpayer funding than comparator institutions across Canada,” the minister said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.
“I am confident we can support a high-quality post-secondary system in a more efficient manner.”
Advocates also cited rising tuition costs as an area of concern, along with budget cuts.
The minister pointed out that “average undergraduate fees in Alberta today are $6,098 which is comparable to B.C. and below the national average.”
“That being said, Alberta's government has created new scholarships and improved student aid delivery to reach more learners."
The rally made its way down Whyte Avenue from the U of A South Campus and ended at the legislature.
