Canadian Alliance of Student Associations

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was established in 1995 with five member student associations. The goal was a member-driven organization that could effectively lobby on federal and inter-provincial issues that affect students across Canada. The organization has succeeded in its goal, and has developed increasingly positive relationships with the government, key decision makers, and other stakeholders in Post-Secondary Education. It is the only student organization in the country to meet with the last three Prime Ministers.

BUSU became a full member of CASA in 2001, and the organization has now grown to represent over 300,000 students. CASA has 23 member student unions from coast to coast.

Successes for Students

CASA has a track record of results, influencing federal government policies on post-secondary education concerns. Some of CASA’s successes include:

• Education Credit – increased from $100 per month to $150 per month and to $200 per month in 1998;
• Change to Millennium Scholarship policy to grant 95% of awards to students in financial need, instead of 95% of the Government of Canada’s funds being directed towards merit-based awards;
• Interest Relief (for students unable to meet loan payments) extended from 18 to 30 months;

• Creation of Canada Study Grant for students with dependents (grants of up to $3000 to about 25,000 students with dependents;
• Creation of student loan interest tax credit – 17% tax relief for payments on federal and provincial loans;
• Interest Relief deferral period increased from 30 to 54 months;
• Tax Relief for part-time students (for the first time, p/t students can claim partial tax credit);
• RRSP withdrawal made tax-free for lifelong learning.

• Changes to Taxation Policy:
• Scholarship and bursary exemption increased from $500-$3000;
• Education tax credit doubled:
• CHST payments increased by $2.5 billion to help provinces and territories fund PSE and health care;

• Canada Study Grant for Students with Disabilities increased from $5,000 to $8,000, with possible top-up grant of $2,000;
• Education Tax Credit amount is doubled to $400/month, and $120/mth for part time students.

• Changes to the Canada Student Loan Program:
• Creation of $1800 merit-based scholarship exemption;
• Extension of Interest Relief to graduates who have defaulted;
• Improvements to Debt Reduction in Repayment Program;
• Max. debt reduction increased from $10,000-$20,000.

• Expanded eligibility for debt reduction, and elimination of cap of for reduction;
• Creation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships for masters and doctoral students.

• 1st year low-income grant:
• $30 million per year, starting 2005/2006;
• Will benefit at least 20,000 students;
• Allowance for computers under the CSLP.

• International students are granted the ability to work off-campus everywhere in the county;
• 1.5 Billion Dollar Transfer for post-secondary;
• Extend Canada Access Grant to all four years of study for students from low-income families;
• $2.2 billion to make PSE more affordable for low- and middle-income students (including holistic review of SFA);

• Elimination of tax on all scholarships, fellowships and bursaries;
• One-time $1 billion Post-secondary Infrastructure Trust for deferred maintenance and modernization of classrooms, labs, libraries;
• Textbook tax credit of $65/month ($20/mth for part time students);
• Expanded eligibility for Canada Student Loans (reduction of expected parental contribution);

• Increase of $800 million for post-secondary funding in 2008/2009 in the form of earmarked post-secondary funding;
• 1000 additional Canada Graduate Scholarships;
• 34 million to aid international students apply for residency.

• Commitment of $123 million dollars to review and modernize the Canada Student Loans Program.
• A renewal of the funds dedicated to the expiring Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. The government has made a $350-million investment in a new Canada Student Grant Program in 2009-10, which will rise to $430 million in 2012-13.
• Canada’s three university granting councils will be receiving an additional $80 million per year for research

Research and Policy

CASA prides itself on thorough and comprehensive research on educational issues. Policy Principles, Position Papers, and Documents are developed and used to influence national educational policy. CASA also routinely develops government and committee submissions on post-secondary issues.

How BUSU Participates in CASA

CASA is guided by a “one member, one vote” system where all member schools are afforded an equal voice in policy and direction. The Vice President University Affairs serves as BUSU’s voting delegate at all plenary sessions.

Three governance officers are elected from the membership each year (a chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer), as well as regional coordinators to represent diversity and member relations across the country. For the second straight year, BUSU’s VPUA has been elected as a Regional Coordinator for the Central Region (Ontario and Quebec).

CASA holds three major conferences each year. The Policy and Strategy Conference in the summer at a member school to set priorities for research, advocacy and communications for the upcoming year. A Lobby Conference is typically held in the fall in Ottawa, where the membership attends close to 100 meetings with MPs, Senators, public servants, and educational sector stakeholders. Finally, the Annual General Meeting is held in the spring to evaluate the successes of the year, debate policies and positions of the organization, and set strategic planning targets. Typically, BUSU sends the President and the Vice President University Affairs as delegates to these conferences.

In addition to major conferences, there is a Regional transition session each spring, and numerous phone-in conference calls for each CASA committee. In 2008-09, BUSU has a representative on the Policy Committee, the Pan-Canadian Accord Strategy Committee, and the Canada Student Grants Program/Repayment Assistance Program (CSGP/RAP) Committee. Additional submissions to other committees are expected and encouraged.

BUSU also uses CASA policy and research to conduct “satellite lobbying” of Niagara-area MPs, and others with federal influence throughout the year.

If you have questions about CASA, or want to know how to become involved, please contact Rob Lanteigne, Vice President University Affairs by phone at extension 4198, or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .