News

Students Nova Scotia welcomed the Province announcement today that it will cease charging Nova Scotia residents interest on their provincial student loans. It brings total investments in improving the Nova Scotia student assistance program to approximate $25 million in four years. At a cost of $1.6 million, the policy will reduce the debt costs for approximately 18,000 Nova Scotians by an average of $800.

Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS) is welcoming the Kingstec Nova Scotia Community College Student Association (NSCCSA) as its newest full member. Last week, the Kingstec NSCCSA’s council voted unanimously to join StudentsNS as a Full Member, joining 87% of Nova Scotia university students in the province’s primary student advocacy organization.

Students Nova Scotia is hosting a Summit on Youth in the Nova Scotia Economy this Wednesday and Thursday, March 19-20 at Dalhousie’s University Club. The event will bring together students with government, post-secondary and business leaders, to discuss the economic challenges facing young people in our province.

Today, Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS) released Student Safety in Nova Scotia: A Review of Student Union Policies and Practices to Reduce the Harmful Effects of Overconsumption of Alcohol. The independent review includes 31 recommendations for student union programming and advocacy to reduce dangerous alcohol consumption.

This morning, the Ivany Commission released Now Or Never: An Urgent Call to Action for Nova Scotians, which highlights the imperative for action to improve Nova Scotia’s economic and demographic reality. StudentsNS welcomed the report’s analysis and goals, which underline especially the importance of supporting the labour market and post-secondary success of youth and other newcomers.

Today, Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS) and its partner student unions launched an education campaign to promote greater understanding of consent among students. The campaign features posters, stickers for condom wrappers and a website: morethanyes.ca. The website will be advertised on social media platforms around high-risk times (Friday nights, special school events) with a simple, powerful message: tentative responses such as “I guess” or even “…sure” are inadequate. Consent needs to be loud and clear.

A report released today by Students Nova Scotia recommends significant changes in policies impacting student housing. It argues that a widespread failure to plan for students is aggravating the housing challenges facing all low-income renters in university communities across Nova Scotia, and that the rules intended to protect tenants from abusive landlords are inadequate.

Students were very pleased today to see the Nova Scotia Government approve a 10-cent increase to the province’s minimum wage, keeping it near the basic standard set by the low income cut off (LICO). Since 2004, the minimum hourly wage in Nova Scotia has risen from $6.50 to $10.40.

Today, Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS) released Student Safety in Nova Scotia: A Review of Student Union Policies and Practices to Prevent Sexual Violence. The independent Review includes 21 recommendations for student union programming and advocacy to reduce the prevalence of sexual violence and foster communities where students respect and support each other.

Today, Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS) launched its #StudentsSpeakOut campaign to bring attention to the financial difficulties that many students confront and how these impact on the entire province’s wellbeing. The campaign includes video interviews with students and a petition to the Province’s MLAs.