Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) now delivers financial support to more Indigenous post-secondary students in Saskatchewan than ever before. With the expansion of CIC's Indigenous Bursary Program to most regional colleges and the Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI), students in rural areas across the province can now gain better access to this educational funding close to their home communities.
"The Indigenous Bursary Program is one of CIC's direct efforts to advance economic reconciliation, through delivering more affordable access to training and education opportunities for Indigenous peoples in Saskatchewan," Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "Increasing the participation of Indigenous talent in our Crown sector and all aspects of Saskatchewan's economy is vital to our province's continued growth."
The Indigenous Bursary Program had provided close to $2.2 million between 2018-19 and 2023-24 to financially support students at the University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) and Lakeland College. Since its inception in 2004, more than 1,300 bursaries have been awarded to students.
The expansion now includes Northlands College, Suncrest College, Southeast College, Great Plains College, North West College and GDI, which offer education opportunities across Saskatchewan's rural communities and Tribal Council districts. In total, the program provides funding for 115 bursaries per year, valued at $5,000 each - a total annual investment of $575,000.
"Long-standing partnerships with our donors have been essential in advancing equitable access to education," Director of Advancement at SIIT Kendra Rowswell said. "Over the years, the bursaries provided by Crown Investments Corporation have significantly reduced financial barriers for Indigenous students, enabling them to pursue their educational goals. CIC's continued generosity ensures that this impact will be felt for generations to come."
"The Crown Investments Corporation's Indigenous Bursary provided to the Gabriel Dumont Scholarship Foundation will help create opportunities for Métis students who are unable to access other sources of financial support, one of the major barriers to attending and achieving a higher education," Gabriel Dumont Institute CEO Brett Vandale said. "In our community, education is the great equalizer!"
Key program eligibility criterion include:
- Be of self-declared Indigenous ancestry (includes Status First Nation, Non-Status First Nation, Métis or Inuit);
- Be a Saskatchewan resident for at least the past 12 months;
- Achieve satisfactory academic standing in post-secondary studies; and
- Be registered full-time.
Visit: www.cicorp.sk.ca/bursaries-and-internships/indigenous-bursary-program for detailed program information.
