By Ian Holmes

Lots of low-income Nanaimo families missing out on education funding

Nov 21, 2016 | 4:32 PM

NANAIMO — A push is on to help low-income families on the mid-island take advantage of free money for their children’s post-secondary education.

Vancouver Island University (VIU) has announced a regional partnership with several partners, including the Regional District of Nanaimo, city of Nanaimo, and School Districts 68 and 69, to help promote the Canada Learning Bond.

The fund offers a sign-up payment of $500 per child, and $100 each year up to a maximum of $2,000.

VIU’s Canada Learning Bond coordinator Rolanda Murray says having regional partners is important to reaching parents who could benefit.

“We need to go into the community where they are, sit with them and speak with them and tell them about the program. Working with partners allows us to do that,” said Murray.

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She says the number one barrier preventing low-income parents from taking advantage of free post-secondary funds for their children is not realizing programs like the Canada Learning Bond exist. Murray says there are about 5,400 children within the Regional District of Nanaimo boundaries who qualify for the program, but aren’t signed up. She says there was a 10 per cent rise as of March in the number of eligible children signed up for the Canada Learning Bond on the mid-island compared to 2012.

She says statistics show that even a small amount of money set aside for education alters how children view higher learning.

“A child living in low-income circumstances with even as much as $500 in an education savings plan is four times more likely to opt for a post-secondary education experience.”

The Canada Learning Bond is eligible for children born in or after 2004 who live in households earning less than $45,000 a year. Murray notes that a big bonus of the program is that funds are handed out retroactively.

VIU president Ralph Nilson says while the program is showing improvements in terms of usage, there is still much more ground to cover. He notes $11-million on the mid-island region is not being taken advantage of, which could be leveraged to help children living in poverty.

“We’re not going to get at it unless we work at it collectively,” said Nilson. “Education is expensive. $2,000 goes a long way. It gives a sense a hope.”

More information is available at VIU.ca/clb.