Portage College Budget Announcement

Today the government of Alberta confirmed a further 5% reduction in budget 2020 to the Campus Alberta grant funding pool that is provided to Alberta’s twenty-six publicly supported post-secondary institutions. The government also restored the funding to the Infrastructure Maintenance Program grant that was eliminated in budget 2019. The institution specific percentage reductions will be discussed with each institution over the next few days.

Portage College specific grant information is as follows:

Portage College also received the following directives from government:

Impact of the reduction

Post-secondary institutions in Alberta have been focusing on reducing administrative spending and per student costs while striving to grow revenue from a wide variety of sources for some time now. Each of the institutions has autonomy in responding to these reductions but across the system, this ongoing funding reduction will result in reduced capacity in the system as a whole. There will likely be jobs lost through attrition and lay-offs at many institutions. Institutions may also need to consider reductions in hours of service, a reduction in the number of courses offered over time and generally larger class sizes. Most learners will be paying higher tuition and fees over the next three years. A reduction in funding of this magnitude will lead to large-scale changes to the system that will occur over the next few years.

Alberta’s post-secondary system delivers accessible, affordable high value life-long learning opportunities that are essential to Alberta’s future. The system supports research, innovation and skill development that are the core drivers for a diversified, thriving, adaptable economy and healthy sustainable communities. Our institutions remain committed to continuous improvements to the advanced education delivery system that benefit Alberta learners as well as our students from other parts of Canada and the world. Our learners’ success is essential to growing and diversifying Alberta’s industries, businesses, community organizations, and public institutions.

Last week the Minister of Advanced Education announced the Government of Alberta’s intention to conduct a “comprehensive review of post-secondary education” that “will help co-create a long-term strategy and vision to deliver better outcomes for students and all Albertans”. The government has also begun the implementation of a new outcomes based funding model that will use performance measures tying a portion of each institutional Campus Alberta grant used to support operations to specific targets. The Minister of Advanced Education is negotiating Investment Management Agreements with the Board of each institution individually.

Throughout this challenging budget situation and complex change process, institutions will honour the academic commitments made to students. As we work together as a system with our faculty, staff, students, other stakeholders, and the Government of Alberta, we remain steadfastly committed to sustaining high quality learning opportunities and providing a world-class post-secondary education system for Alberta.